Official Sony VPC-Z2 (VAIO Z 2011) Series Owners' Thread

Yes, i´ve you have some hints about that it would be nice.

 

Hi you guys I ordered my z2 at Sony Store USA | Sony VAIO® Computers | Sony Consumer Electronics. Can someone tell me if it's a 3rd gen ssd? Thanks a lot.

Product: US-VPCZ2190X-LBOM
Component: Internal (4000mAh) + sheet (4400mAh) lithium polymer batteries
Component: Black
Component: No Engraving
Component: Norton Internet Security? 2011 (30 Day Trial)
Component: No Fresh Start
Component: No wireless mobile broadband
Component: Intel? Core? i7-2620M processor (2.70GHz) with Turbo Boost up to 3.40GHz
Component: 8GB (4GB x2 fixed onboard) DDR3-SDRAM-1333
Component: Genuine Windows? 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Component: Power Media Dock? with AMD Radeon? HD 6650M (1GB) graphics and Blu-ray Disc? player
Component: 13.1" LED backlit display (1600 x 900)
Component: Microsoft? Office 2010 Starter (Click More Info for details.)
Component: 256GB (128GB x2) solid state drive with RAID 0
Quantity: 1

 

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It seems that the US Z2's all come with gen 3 SSD's.

Congrats on your purchase!

 

That's GREATE! Thank you ota-con.

 

I´ve checked-out a very interesting point:

after downloading the newest bluetooth driver for the intel centrino 6230 card, the bluetooth part is capable for bluetooth 3.0! thats very nice i think!
Also, there are some improvements such as "sending to bluetooth" in the explorer menu part...

 

^
Could you please point me to where to download?
TIA!

 

There have been no significant updates to EU VAIO owners of the Z21, only the Remote Keyboard utility. I'm waiting for the Wifi driver update in particular as the one that shipped is quite old compared to the update available on the US VAIO site, and also on Intel's own website. I wouldn't care about driver version except the wireless card in my Z21 is fussy with one particular Wireless N access point I connect to (random disconnects about twice a day, sometimes requiring a power cycle of the access point).

 

Yes, i´ve downloaded the following version:

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=20129&ProdId=3315&lang=eng&OSVersion=Windows%207%2C%2064-bit*&DownloadType=%0ASoftware%20Applications%0A

 

I've plugged into a 1920x1200 monitor via HDMI. Works fine.

 

cheers rrm998
HDMI to DVI cable or do you have an HDMI input on the monitor?

 

Thanks a lot!
(just ignore my PM. Saw your post just a few minutes after sending it)

 

Hi - been away for a few days.

It was 1366x768 (IIRC) and a mixture of low/medium settings. At the time I thought the ATI GPU was active, but it turns out it wasn't - I was wondering why the fan was going so strongly and checked in Device Manager. With the PMD actually connected and working, no issues running with those settings.

 

I think it's more for "swap" space - swap in/out VMs. Or keep "base" VMs that you copy handy. I keep a 32GB SD card for common installation ISOs. THinking about storing all my base VMs on a MemoryStick card - saves connecting the external HD that has them

 

There is a limitation of the intel video chip: sandybridge can only handle 2 display at time (ivy will be able to handle 3)
you should be able to use both vga and hdmi is you turn of the laptop display. (unless sony screwed)

 

Same as Z1 But not unexpected. Maybe it is a chipset limitation.

The "open lid" function was some extra thing included with the Sony power options for Z1. IIRC someone mentioned that this was not included with the Z2.

 

Excellent mouse. Use it my self on my Z13. Upgraded to it from a nano vx. A bit heavier then my old nano as it uses AA bateries instead of AAA.

 

omimod, it was HDMI to HDMI. The monitor is fairly new and doesn't have a DVI input.

 

I was able to test battery drain last night. Before I went to sleep, i charged the laptop to 100%, pulled the power cord, and closed the lid. In went into sleep. After a few hours in sleep it seems that it automatically goes into hibernate. When I turned it back on maybe 9 hours later, the battery was still at 100%! YAY!

 

^
I thought hibernate was disabled on SSDs?

 

erm, well the power button was, off, not orange like when in sleep mode. And when i started it it had the the resuming windows screen.

Also, when I press the undock button i get 2 popups. one is from AMD-XGP asking if i want to undock. The other says that I can't undock right now because an amd process is using the pmd. I have to hit continue on the amdxgp popup and then OK on the other one, then it undocks.

Seems kinda annoying. Anyone know how to fix? I would rather have no popups.

 

I see conflicting information about the SSDs that the US versions comes with. One guys said that a European rep told him that the preconfigured models ship with Gen1 drives (!). In the UK, you have the option to select Gen2 or Gen3 in the customization process. I called all kinds of tech support people in the US, and the only thing that they say is xxxGB Raid 0. Even the parts people don't know what the manufacturer or model actually is, and what "gen" it is. I'd like to just go pick up a preconfigured one at the store, but a gen1 drive (if that's true) would be absurd, and a gen2 would even be a bit annoying, considering that they UK upgrade is only about $30.

Can anyone tell me what the model is in there US machine? I wonder if there is a difference with the basic vs signature preconfigured options, just to add another variable...

This video shows gen 3 at about 30% faster in copying files - Sony vaio z2 z 2011 SSD comparison - VAIO - VPCZ217GW - YouTube

 

I'm pretty sure we had found out that G2 is standard in the pre-config, atleast in Europe.

 

Does anyone know if you can add the Wireless mobile broadband after order? We don't have that option in Canada, so I was wondering if it could be added. Also, does this have a sim card slot then?

Also, anyone know if/where you can buy the sheet battery stand alone for the price they have it on the CTO (90 dollars)?

 

If it helps, here are the details for one of my drives. This is a CTO US machine.

 

Thanks. Did you get that info by looking somewhere in windows? I guess I could pull up that info at the store if that's the case?

 

^
Its in intel storage

 

I called samsung. They have no record of that serial number, model number, or firmware. Nor does google. I think this is crazy that both Sony and Samsung have no idea what the Z hard drive is. I'm having trouble justifying such an expensive machine with a mystery meat ssd inside...I guess I'm the only one!

 

it says 6gbps in intel storage in my CTO USA Z as well. I also called the sony nyc store a while back and they told me all USA Z models are gen3. I cannot vouch for any other countries though.

 

So no-one has yet tried out / tested battery life?

thanks!

 

I opened the Intel Rapid Storage Technology system tray icon and selected one of the two SSD drive shown to see the detail.

 

That's encouraging. That means it should be the Samsung PM830, which was just released. Which model Z do you have?

 

Pics of the drive. Check the search engines for the DRAM chips (you can barely make the numbers out)

512 GB Sammich
Imageshack - dsc00318e.jpg

128 GB Sammich
Imageshack - img2011081400010.jpg

 

where are you seeing $90?

 

With FastBoot on and few applications installed, my Z2 booted in 7 seconds. The welcome screen showed in about 3 seconds. I thought I made a mistake but was able to repeat the time. Pretty amazing.

I made the above statement after a warm boot. After I got back to the hotel I cold booted and the time was a more realistic 13 seconds.

Actually there's not much difference for me between FastBoot and a regular boot. I'm getting between 14 and 15 seconds for a regular boot.

 

If you go to sonystyle.com and go through the CTO you will see it's only a $90 add-on. On sale like almost everything else. But it's $200 here in Canada. Looks like you can only get it for $90 when you CTO.

 

I'm sure this is answered somewhere, but just a quick question. Do you have to use the dedicated graphics card (the dock) only with an external monitor, or will it render back onto the Z's screeN? Thanks for the help.

 

It can drive the internal display.

 

Since I repacked Z21 because tomorrow I'll send it back for substitution, I didn't remember to make screens but, if I'm not wrong, breaking raid0 (but still having the controller activated) we see that:
Sequential read -50% and write -35%
4k read +5% write +5%
I don't remember 512k and 4k random.

 

Anybody try the widi stuff yet? I picked up the Netgear PTV2000 and just set it up.

I think the idea is great; keep the laptop on the couch and use the TV as wirelessly connected second monitor for movies. I have it outputting FHD, but the display is slightly munged like the resolution isn't correct (but it is.)

The video playback from iTunes and Netflix is choppy and stutters on occasion. Mouse commands are a bit choppy too. Audio also breaks up a bit. The WiDi service also chews up a ton of cpu.

I have the latest WiDi sw installed and the Netgear updated itself without a problem. The connection indicator shows full bars too.

Another drawback is that WiDi only runs while on the Intel GPU, which makes sense. This means no Blueray movies though.

I'm going to try other resolutions and color depths, but the overall prognosis is grim.

 

Yea widi is a good idea, but the tech just isnt developed enough to work properly for everyday use. Its just so much easier and reliable to plug in an hdmi cable.

 

With the latest updated WiDi drivers from Intel it is supposed to handle Blu-Ray. I haven't had achace to test it, hope to do so this weekend.

 

I forgot who asked a few days ago but the VPCZ1 charger works fine and charges the Z2.

For me, turning off the Dolby improved the sound from the built in speakers.

 

I agree. Turning it off almost makes the speakers passable. This setting really should be off by default...

 

Just got my Z today. So far no real complaints that others haven't covered.

If anyone has a sheet battery they don't want, or can add one to their order for the $90 they are on. I will buy it from you!

Also, does anyone know if the premium carbon fiber is the whole body or just the lid. My lid certainly has the carbon fiber finish, but the body just looks normal black.

 

^
Just the lid.

I would also like to buy the sheet battery for 90$.

 

I am still having issues with battery charging. The internal battery always has a status of charging even when it is at 100% (I have left if overnight). This is preventing the external battery from charging fully.

Would someone mind confirming two things for me :-

1) Your internal battery can fully charge and Windows shows a status of not charging

2) Does the amber battery light on the front of the laptop go off when a battery is not charging?

Thanks.

 

It would be so awesome if someone is able to figure out how to make that work!

 

I'm sure it will play BluRay's, but not with the Z2. WiDi only works with the Intel GPU and I'm not aware of a way to run on this GPU with the PMB attached. This said, I haven't tried.

The bottom plate is also CF (mostly). Check my Vivisection thread for pics

 

so you're saying its $200 on the canadian site right?

 

for vga+hdmi
you should in theory disable the laptop screen first