Official Sony S11/S12/S13 (2010) Owners Thread

Thanks very much for your post! I never thought anyone would sell single keys and for a newer model.... GREAT LINK! That would be a reasonable solution. I for sure will not buy a complete keyboard for 100 bucks!

Your answer to Sony would have been a nice option, I like it!
I already replied to them yesterday right after I got their mail and now waiting for reply... Not going to give up so easy

Will keep you up to date

 

" Thank you for your reply.

Kindly accept our sincere apology for the inconvenience you have experienced.

After going through your email, I understand that you are having an issue with your VAIO keyboard.

Kindly be informed that the keyboard issue is considered a physical damage for the VAIO, however we can send it to our repair center and if it is discovered that the issue is caused as a result of a physical damage or a misuse, the repair will be chargeable.

If you want to proceed with the repair, kindly reply to us with the details below"

 

Pretty risky. They will probably charge you.

 

is the 128 ssd a fast laptop drive? Is it perhaps an option to ship it to asia (to me ) i'm really looking at a ssd for my laptop. My hdd is getting full... and very very slow. It's actually becoming quite a bottleneck on my s11

 

Search the forum, someone posted their benchmarks... It will no doubt be significantly faster than a mechanical drive. You WILL notice the difference. I seriously recommend upgrading to an SSD to whoever can afford it. I have done so and use external drives and NAS for large multimedia files, I don't think I'll ever use a mechanical drive in a laptop again (definately not as a system drive).

 

Note that the 330M on the Z is underclocked, so I don't know what the real performance difference would be like.

If you think that the Z's quad SSDs are pointless, maybe you should check the benchmarks in the Z owners thread. For example:

Traditional HDD:
Sequential Read : 63.734 MB/s
Sequential Write : 62.110 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 28.631 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 47.982 MB/s
Random Read 4KB : 0.520 MB/s
Random Write 4KB : 1.237 MB/s

Sony Quad SSD:
Sequential Read : 448.109 MB/s
Sequential Write : 414.048 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 428.773 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 405.822 MB/s
Random Read 4KB (QD=1) : 22.175 MB/s [ 5413.8 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=1) : 62.850 MB/s [ 15344.3 IOPS]
Random Read 4KB (QD=32) : 240.915 MB/s [ 58817.1 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=32) : 345.727 MB/s [ 84405.9 IOPS]

So for small reads / writes (the most common & therefore significant ones) we're talking about a performance increase of approx. 1000% minimum, as you can see some of the numbers are WAY higher! BTW the poster of the quad SSD results said the found them to be SLOW compared to others!

Although not perfect, the Z is an amazing machine. It beats the crap out of anything else available, in pretty much every aspect (IMHO, of course!). BTW I'm still deciding whether to get the Z or save some money and get the S and change the HDD for a 2nd gen Intel SSD.

 

For those of you trying to get the GPS in the WWAN module to work, you should search the Z owners forum, apparently it is the same module and people have got it working OK. I’m guessing that following their instructions might work.

And for those asking about installing a WWAN module in the S after having purchased it, I really don’t think it’s worth it. You have to open the laptop, get extra parts etc... A real pain in the arse. If you know you’re going to be using the WWAN a lot, get it built in on your CTO’s or get a preconfigured model that has it built in. Only costs about 100 € extra, depending on the country. If you’re unsure as to when or how much you’re going to need this feature, don’t bother. USB dongles are cheaper and easily upgradable, plus there are other options, such as tethering, expresscard slot or just using your phone as a modem. When needed I use my SE Aino, connected via Bluetooth (cable free and you always have your mobile with you!). Easy to configure and it works great.

 

A good compromise - 7200 RPM HDD. I changed mine to 7200 and am extremely happy - have all the space I need and at the same time the difference in system speed is really noticeable. And the price is more then moderate.

I was considering SSD but they are way too small in capacity (especially for Windows 7!!!!) .... and way too expensive considering the storage space.

 

Try this link. Different laptop, probably the same problem, with the same solution.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...7-official-owners-thread-446.html#post6227676

"Try this: Advanced Power Settings - Sleep - Allow Wake timers - Disable"

Good luck!

 

If it works this is probably a better solution to the random-waking-up problem:

Advanced Power Settings - Sleep - Allow Wake timers - Disable (thanks gammaknife!)

BTW, my (Toshiba - NOT recommended) laptop has an option in the BIOS for "wake up on LAN" or something like that, which is enabled by default. I think a lot of laptops have this and Sony is probably no exception. Probably best to disable it unless you actually need that function.

 

I solved my wake-up problems by disabling the automatic Windows updates (set by default for 03:00 am.)

 

Good. Just thought it was worth mentioning in case anyone found that the problem was persisting

 

So I'm having problems with my Sony Vaio S Laptop, and I was hoping some of you could help out. It would be really great, thanks.

1.) My Backspace key squeaks. Any advice? I don't want to do anything to void the warrenty or break it.
2.) Like I've seen some people say, the battery seems fairly loose. Any advice? I think I saw one poster say he/she had a solution to this. Is it easy to fix?
3.) I may be forgetting something.

Anyways, thanks for the help. If someone could help me with these issues, the Vaio S would be a lot better. Thanks!

(I'm also leaving the country in a week, so I can't send my laptop to Sony )

 

Yikes, another one...

 

Same I have a problem with my battery.

Does anyone know if the charger comes with a Velcro strap or not?

 

Hi and welcome,

a general advice:

1. take a quick scan of the thread
2. use the "search this thread" button on top

you will find the answers to those 2 questions as well as many others you are about to ask

I have posted a detailed solutions to both your issues - since I applied them I haven't had a problem. Just search back.

And because you are new, a welcoming "hint" from me - the solution to the loose battery can be found on page 120.

 

There you are, reference - 30° room temperature:



For the rest - The S is really the coolest running notebook I have ever used (not including nEtbooks!). Of course you can feel some heat especially by 30° outside temp, but nothing compared to others!

 

Thanks a lot for your help! I'll look right now.

 

Unfortunately they (still) don't have keys for the backlight variant :-/ (that's what they replied to my inquiry)

 

That's disappointing. I did research the model number they listed before I posted and all links led to backlightedness (reading Sony spec sheets, etc).

Unfortunately, that puts you back on collision course with Sony in Germany.

 

My feeling is that squeaky keys and loose batteries, whilst annoying and unfortunate, are not "problems" in the same vein as, say, non-functioning hardware or severe overheating. When I read the thread through over several evenings a few weeks back, it became apparent that the S series was relatively free of serious issues. Compared to what goes on with some other notebooks, the S seems fairly well sorted.

I corrected the loose battery on mine with four discrete slips of self adhesive black plastic. I haven't decided on a squeaky key fix yet. I'm tempted to try a "dry" teflon application as used on high performance bicycles. This would avoid stressing keys by removing them to apply oil. Experience with model kits as a child also leads me to be wary of mixing oil and plastics.

 

That's correct. I have had so many problems with notebooks from different brands in the past that I do not consider a slightly squeaky key (that actually happens only to the few "longer", containing metal holder keys like the space, enter and backspace) as an issue, neither a loose battery. Both fixable within minutes.

Those are just the few things that make the S NON-perfect.... and there is nothing perfect anyway.

 

Does anyone know if the S series laptop battery charger comes with a Velcro strap?

 

can you direct me to where you bought these?

 

Yes it does.

Here you are

 

my didn't come with a velcro strap looks like im going back to bestbuy, do you know what website I could get it from?

 

I am trying to make the same decision. Other than the HDD/SSD question which, again, can be changed in the S after purchase, I wonder if you have narrowed down the key differences between the two (other than the enormous price difference)?

Having read through most of this owners lounge thread, I am left uncertain as to the wisdom of buying the S. May I also ask anyone who cares to respond, to provide just a few bullets of major Pros and Cons of their S? I am actually more interested in the Cons, as the Pros are found in reviews and Sony's own marketing information.

It's a tough decision with a large price difference. Also, I have narrowed down the choice, for a high performance thin/light machine, down to the Sony Z or S and the Alienware M11X. I know these sound like apples and oranges - the screen on the Alenware is inferior, and a good bit smaller, it is designed for gaming, which the SONYs are not (and I don't game) but overall the machine gets excellent reviews from users and editors alike and, though I am not a gamer, with switchable graphics, the product still represents a feature packed, slightly chunkier and heavier, equally powerful, capable and versatile sub-notebook for travel.

Finally, can you offer any other alternates you think are worthy of consideration in this product category? (I have ruled out the Asus U30 jc due to: mushy, non back lit keyboard, inferior screen.

Thank you to any who can spare the time for taking a few moments to help me and probably many other "lurkers" out here.

Many thanks.

 

I don't mind going into details AGAIN, but basically you are asking us to repeat the thread... whereas it would be much easier to read it. If you did read it, you should have found numerous times a link to another thread, to be more specific:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/475297-my-two-months-vaio-s-review.html

It is exactly what you are asking for.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask. But questions such as "is it a good laptop" require repeating the whole thread!

To sum up my nearly 4 months experience with the S ---> small issues, nothing major, would buy it again.

 

There are a few types of adapters for the different S sub-models. I don't know which one the american version is featuring, my european S11V9E came with a velcro.

Await response from "SheldonCooper" or send him a private msg - he is our "power charger-specialist" here he can tell you all about different chargers, their exact weight, material, outlooks and cable positioning

About the tesa stickers - I have no idea - I bought it from the nearest hypermarket.

 

I'll go to a arts and craft store to see if I can find some. I went to walmart and they didn't have any.

 

I bought it from the company that bought "WalMart" in Germany when they went bankrupt --> "Real" )

 

Miniaturisation + performance + quality = cost.

The Z is a bit smaller and lighter than the S and is also a bit more powerful. It is a unique design with many options, whereas the more standardised S range shares some parts and production processes with the Y series. This all makes the Z a lot more costly to produce, hence the wide price gap.

Obviously you are in the market for a small, powerful laptop, so you need to think about whether the clear but costly advantages of the Z are worth it to you.

It would be helpful if you added location to your forum ID. The S series can vary greatly from country to country and there isn't much point in discussing models and options that may be unavailable to you.

 

Another option is a self adhesive velour or felt type material, which might also be available in arts and crafts stores (home improvements stores sometimes carry it too). Four small strips of that de-rattled my battery. I had some offcuts lying around already so it was essentially a freebee for me.

 

To me, the S has one very important advantage compared to the Z ----> the magnesium body!!!! Even if I was to spend as much money the Z costs, I would still buy the S because of the tough construction! The Z is light.... but fragile. And I had enough of fragile notebooks!

 

Tell that to your poor, battered G key.

I thought the Z was made of carbon fibre. Should be pretty tough if so. I use a carbon fibre pad with a slightly larger footprint than the S when using it on my lap and other irregular surfaces (keeps the vents clear, etc). It's light, stiff and incredibly strong - it'll still be around long after the S has become obsolete.

 

The Z has the same/similar keyboard

The only quality carbon fiber has that is relevant to a notebook is it's low weight! Carbon fiber has great strength but only under certain circumstances and specific purpose. Metal on the other hand is much more universal and appropriate for a notebook construction, apart from its weight This said from a professional experience

Besides that the owners of both S and Z confirmed somewhere in this thread that the S looks and feels much more robust.

 

How right you are! Imagine my shock when I went on the US Sonystyle web site and found no S model! I just read about it on this thread and assumed it was available here - apparently not. Too bad too, as it truly seems like the "poor man's/woman's" Z. At half the price I would accept the compromises in a heartbeat. just out of curiosity, in which countries is the S model widely available? I'll do some research and call SONY to see if it will be coming to the US. Thanks for the heads-up.

 

Hello "Vaio S" folks.

I've seen Vaio S12 in UK recently, and noticed that screen quality is allright. Actually it was quite GOOD, but still glossy (not too much though, like Apple's).

Has there been some improvement on this front S11->S12?
As I've been reading very bad oppinions/reviews on "Vaio S" screen quality, and I remember even seeing S11 which didn't have particulary good screen so I've said NO.

This S12 was (for whatever the reason) another matter, at least here in London, and had a backlit keyboard. Screen was simply "good" (colors, angles, brightness) compared to others I've tried (next was F which had of course better screen).

Screen was the only issue holding me back, hopefuly it's not only placebo... (I can probably run an everest and see a part number if you like)

 

It seems to be REALLY hard to search the thread... I'll never know why...

P.s. I find S11's screen quality absolutely OK! All it lacks is some color vividness that can be set in a second through the settings.

 

edit: found it search this thread... well, we all learn something new each day ;p

It is, for me

sony vaio s screen quality got me some 7 thousand results via google (well I typed it in the first obvious search box on the forum which led me to google) == the worst done search in universe.

I'm not saying the forum needs a new desing, just that it isn't so easy for casual user to search the thread.

Moreover, I know most users here are USA/Canada based whether in UK we do get some different specs sometimes. For me, the screen seems better. Enough said...on par with all hundreds of screens I've seen and no-one complained so much (like they did on Vaio S).

 

The screen quality is another complicated subject like all other features, but basically it depends on:

1. What you expect (for some reason, which I don't understand, many people take the S for a multimedia or gaming PC which it is NOT) - hence you should not compare to a multimedia-oriented notebooks

2. If you downgrade from the Z and expect everything to be the same but for less money .... that's another user-related problem


Me - I upgraded from a classical non-LED screen, but also use different models business notebooks at work (mainly Lenovo) and apart from the low vividness that I boosted through the NVIDIA settings - I find the screen of the S absolutely satisfying!

Whoever needs/wants better screen (same for audio) should either be ready to put a few hundred bucks extra into it (for example the Z) OR buy a multimedia machine.

To me the S perfectly combines a business solution with a "free-time" notebook.

 

The S is available in the US, unfortunately in a limited way. Best Buy has negotiated an exclusivity deal with Sony and offer this effort alone:
Sony - VAIO Laptop with Intel® Core™ i5 Processor - VPCS111FM/S

Americans who would like a capable, conservative, business(+) portable from Sony that doesn't cost (Z) megabucks is out of luck. It's not exactly a "poor" person's Z as it's still quite expensive as it is, but it does make a sensible alternative for executives and other office users, etc. Given the economic climate clipping wings in the commercial world, I think Sony USA could be selling truckloads of these:
VPCS12V9E/B (VPCS12V9E/B) : Technical Specifications : VAIO and Computing : Sony
and are just throwing business away with this policy. Large corporations can be remarkably stupid at times.

I read in this thread that the exclusivity lasts until the autumn, but I have no idea if this is correct. I would have thought Sony's replacement for the S will be close by that time...

 

It is no doubt the case that if my metal Omega collided with a Carbon Fibre Formula 1 racer the latter would disintegrate into thousands of shards (apart from the driver survival core). On the other hand, my Omega can't go round bends at 195mph.

There are videos online showing Zs being dropped and otherwise abused (by Sony); they do seem quite sturdy. Interestingly, they have a metal core piece that provides rigidity. It surrounds the keyboard, but I'm not sure if it helps the keys resist continental typing styles.

Incidentally, the pad my S sits on most of the time is a carbon fibre - foam - carbon fibre sandwich. It's incredibly resliant.

 

Strangely though, all owners of both Z and S here reported that the S does feel much more robust and durable then the Z. I think somewhere around the 30th or 40th page of the thread. I even think there was someone who sold his Z and bought S just because of this. A colleague of mine, owner of a new Z, confirmed that when he was taking a look at my S. He said it doesn't feel as fragile as his.

Nevertheless the Z is a nice product, not willing to say anything bad about it. It just offers a few "luxury" class things for a corresponding price It has it's purpose as almost every other model.

I love the X as well... wish I could buy one some day in the future

 

I don't think it's strange that people should feel that. The Z is light and it does flex and creak some. The S is heavier and the base doesn't flex or creak at all. That will certainly impart a subjective impression in favour of the S.

Whether this has any actual objective bearing on robustness in the event of a mishap, I don't feel qualified to say. It's quite possible that the more "giving" nature of the Z chassis improves the fortune of the internals in a misadventure. Videos of S models being stress tested are notable by their absense, though this may have as much to do with marketing as anything else (i.e. Sony cannot be much bothered to market the S).

My niece's Compaq and my friend's Gateway are cheapo plastic fantastics that have creaked and groaned for over two years of substantial use with no problems apart from a few scuffs, fraying AC cords and enfeebled batteries. If this S lasts as well I'll be happy. Time will tell.

 

Don't forget that the Z has been on the market for much longer than the S which started end of Jan 2010! Additionally S is only offered from one company exclusively and in one configuration by the yankees.

It will just take some more time to see all kind of weird experiments done to a S


P.s. I finally saw the S12 live yesterday! I was curious to find any differences now knowing the S11 for nearly 4 months. I couldn't confirm whether the loose battery had been fixed as there was no battery inserted, but the rest seemed absolutely the same or even worse - there was a strange big slot between the keyboard and the palm-rest. The paint felt the same everywhere.... the power connector was just as loose as mine (but I think that's actually on purpose, it is in fact more secure this way).

 

Thank you so much for providing that information - I enjoyed the factual as well as the editorial One confusion I have is: can anyone confirm whether the Best Buy model includes a Blu Ray player? The link PJF provided to Bestbuy.com indicates a standard DVD burner, but the CNET review (of the Best Buy Blue Label version) says it is blu ray, and I thought that blu ray ROM dvd was a guaranteed feature of their Blue Label program.

Is it true that the exterior lid and interior surrounding the keyboard are metalic paint over plastic? Do you experience (as several of the Best Buy reviewers said) the paint wearing off to a white plastic substrate?

Otherwise, compared to the competition at this screen size (other than the Z, which is more than double the price if you want 256GB of storage), I see only the Asus u30jc (mushy keyboard that is not backlit, but a discrete gpu and longer battery life, $150 less) and some unappealing models from Lenovo and Toshiba. Does this about do it for competition, or are their others people considered?

Thanks for your time and help.

 

How is the battery drain during standby? it seems a lot more than other laptops i have owned

 

During standby!?

It is not a "drain" but a "consumption" when on standby. It looks fine to me.

 

Too right. Just think of cars, in an accident they are designed to crumple, in order to protect their occupants. This is a less extreme case of course but a bit of flex and give will absorb much of the shock if something bad was to happen to the laptop, thus reducing the amount stress the (more important) internals would be subjected to.

I've also read a lot of people complaining about loose power cables on the Z, not sure if the S suffers from the same "problem", however I'm sure this is totally done on purpose, so that if for example you trip on the cable, it unplugs rather than sending the laptop flying across the room.

By the way, yesterday (at last!) I was able to try out the Z for myself, and I must say it’s beautiful! The flex and the power cord “problems” for me are not problems at all, the only problem for me is the price! Unfortunately they didn’t have the S, which is what I’m actually planning to buy, because the configuration I want to get is going to be about 600 euros cheaper than the Z configuration I would go for...