Official Sony Vaio Fit multi-flip PC Owners' Thread

Hey thx mrKazoo.
Will try to play with those settings. Much apreciated !

Also if I understand right:
Using command line,
0,1(this trigger p5)
0,0(this trigger p8)
And p0 is accessed only using statelimits ?

Envoyé de mon Nexus 4 en utilisant Tapatalk

 

P0 is actually 0,2. I've updated my previous post to include command-line arguments

 

I just wanted to hear from those who have installed this new R1130DD Bios... can you see any specific improvements with this BIOS ?
it is said to solve few bugs but does it also increase performance or reactivity ???

 

This BIOS update contains everything the previous versions did. Full change log shown below:
-Resolves an issue where the Home button may not work after the system is changed to Tablet Mode (from R1100DD)
-Improves system stability (from R1120DD)
-Resolves an issue where a blank screen may randomly display (new for R1130DD)

I don't think they did anything else to the BIOS aside from fixing the blank screen bug which showed up in R1120DD.

 

Ok & Thks, I look forward to updating our Vaio (when it's back from repair) with this...

 

Hey guys,

I own a Sony Vaio flip 14 (SVF14NA1UM) with Intel 3556U @ 1.7GHz and 4 GB ram with WIN 8 and I've been noticing some performance issues when running some programmes and games. After few minutes of playing the framerate drops to 10-15fps and it stays that way for 5-10 minutes, than it's fine again for 10 minutes or so and again... The thing is that I've noticed this while playing some old games from 2003 so i don't thing the issue is with high graphics settings.
The laptop doesn't seem to overheat and i've updated all the latest drivers. I've even bought that software in VAIO care that cleans up your RAM, no effect.

I don't have win 8.1 cause i've installed it and my touch screen didn't work so I recovered from earlier. could that be the issue?

Thank you in advance for your answers and best wishes.

 

This is typical throttling-behaviour.

It doesn't really matter how old a game is but how much it taxes the hardware and this is different with every game/application.

The real problems are a) that the cooling system isn't very efficient and b) that Sony is using very conservative settings for throttling the machine.

No it probably doesn't - but Sony does think so and uses lower temperature trigger values than usual.

Of course not as 4GB RAM is still enough for most games, even most modern ones but especially those from 2003...
IMHO "RAM cleaner" and "registry cleaner" are nothing else than snake-oil software (=a total waste of money).

Nope.

Read up on throttling in this thread (in the last few pages) and experiment with the utility "ThrottleStop" like MrKazoo recommends:
"Workaround for CPU throttling is to still use ThrottleStop and unchecking BDPROCHOT."

 

Hi All,
I bought one of the first Flip 15s. And my touchpad always worked fine. Until now.
It does everything it's supposed to do, ecxept that it no longer clicks when pressing in the center -- it does not make that happy clicking noise. I can still get it to activate by tapping it lightly, but that hard-click is gone. So I can't simulate "right-clicking" anymore.

Has anyone else had this problem? If is a software/BIOS thing, or is it a mechnical problem that needs fixing (sending back to Sony?)

This is my setup, I did a customization when they still sold those it that way, because I knew I would not have it in me to install the SSD myself . .

4th gen Intel® Core i7-4500U (1.80GHz / 3.00GHz with Turbo Boost)
Windows 8 Pro 64-bit
Microsoft® Office 2013 trial version
Fresh Start
15.5" over Full HD IPS TRILUMINOS Display for mobile (2880 x 1620)
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 735M w/ Optimus (2GB) hybrid graphics
512GB (512GB x1) solid state drive
16GB (8GB x2) DDR3L-1600MHz
Active Pen
No Adobe® Photoshop® Elements software
No Imagination Studio software
No additional antivirus software
No installation option
3 Yr Express Ship Protection Plan with Accidental Damage from Handling for Laptops

Thanks for any advice!

 

Right now it sounds like a mechanical problem to me and I would make a warranty case out of it, arguing that it's a manufacturing error.

How are the lower right and left corners? That's where the biggest travel is possible. Do they still sink in or keep flush with the case?

By the way, personally I don't use the hard click at all and configured the touchpad to single finger tap (left button) and double finger tap (right button) anywhere on the pad except the right border (=vertical scrolling). This is quicker for me.

 

Thanks for the advice, it seems mechcnaical. Sigh.
And now it's worse. Today, I cant even get a simple tap to register. The touchpad can be used to move the cursor (even in th elower left/right portions of the touchpad), but no amount of tapping or pressing anywhere in the touchpad can get anything to register as a tap. So now I must use the screen to do my selecting, which is a pain.

I love the idea of setting it up the way you said . . .

. . . but I can't figure out where to make those customizations. Under "mouse and touchpad settings" I see only one variable to change, which is a bout a delay. There must be something simple I am missing. Could someone tell me what to click on and in what order to find the location of the place to make those changes?

 

And now, all fixed (for now) -- I think this computer is not very sturdy, perhaps it's even flimsy. All I needed to do is to bend the frame of the computer a little and it seems to have unstuck the touchpad problem. I pushed up on the black plastic of the outside case of the computer at a point that is just under and closer to the edge of where the touchpad is located on the keyboard side, while simultaneously pushing down on the keyboard side in two places -- to the right and left of the touchpad. I have fixed it for now, likely it will get worse over time and I may have to send it back.

I still woudl ike to know how to reset the tochpad as described by Calibrator.

 

Hello all,:hi2:
I'm planning to upgrade my Flip 14A (SVF14N13CXB) to SSD Drive. Looking for instructions or Youtube on how to do the upgrade step by step. Also, can I upgrade RAM to 16GB?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

Bending the frame never is a good idea, even if it worked for you now... ;-)
But I agree - the lower half isn't very sturdy. I already got the impression that most of the development resources were spent on the lid and hinge construction...

The single and double finger tap should work by default - but Synaptics offers a load of functions that need space on the touchpad. To use the full size of the touchpad you have to get rid of some functions, most of which you won't use that often anyway.

(My Windows is set to German so I translate as best as I can here!)

Open the Windows control panel and open the mouse settings.
Click on the rightmost tab to go to the device settings of the Synaptics ClickPad (I hope you do have the Synaptics one - some Flip models use a different touchpad type from a different vendor!).
Mark the Synaptics ClickPad entry and click on the settings button on the right.

In the Synaptics settings you can now set various actions, gestures etc., which are illustrated with little animations.

Expand the "buttons" entry and then click on the two tiny gears next to "right button zone" to open the settings.
Resize the zone so that it only occupies a small rectangle in the lower right corner. This is a subjective setting - try various settings to see what you like. I use 5x5mm

Then enter the "SmartSense" settings and move the slider to the far left (=off). I thought this was better than clearing the checkbox "Restrict tapping to zone".

Then enter the "tapping" settings and disable the corner areas if they bother you.

If you still have problems with clicking left or right then enter the "clicking" settings to see if the button actions are actually in place.

There are many more options! Experiment with them, especially the "sensitivity" setting...
I also disabled the "Momentum" feature, for example. It causes more trouble than it is worth to me.

It's all about personalization, after all.

 

So will I be able to purchase a Surface Pro 3 pen and use it on my Flip 15a??? The Sony stylus is ok but I feel like it will break sometime soon. I would like to have a backup stylus and I love the Surface pro 3 stylus.

 

Yes

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

 

If you have the Synaptics driver installed you should have a tab (with a red icon) titled Device Settings in Control Panel/Mouse, click settings on that one.
Edit: I see you got your answer already... got a bit confused in Tapatalk about what was the latest post : )

 

Hi there tintin,

I've seen videos for the 13A and 15A, but not sure there is one for the 14A. That being said, I installed a SSD drive in a 14A last November. The 14 is the "easiest" to open and easiest to remove the hard drive of the three models, according to those who have worked on them.

If you are someone who likes to tinker, you should be fine. Opening the case is a delicate job because the plastic bottom has somewhat fragile clips. There are also hidden screws for the bottom case, underneath the two rubber feet + long rubber strip ; you have to remove the strip (easy - just peel it off) and the the two feet (not as easy - you need to use your thumbs and push hard on them to unglue from base). Once the case is open, replacing the hard drive is easy.
For the RAM : no, you can't upgrade to 16GB because there is only one SO-DIMM slot on the 14A, so one 8GB stick is the max. In comparison, the 15A has two slots, so 16GB possible, and the 13A (and 11A I'm guessing) has only one slot with the stick soldered onto the motherboard (no upgrading possible).

Remember these important details :

1) The hard drive or SSD needs to be 7mm thick, no more. For the 14 and 15 models, it's a regular SATA rev.3 drive (not mSATA or M.2)
2) For RAM, you need to install low voltage SO-DIMM modules (1.35Volts) only. Regular 1.5V laptop memory doesn't work in the Flips.

Hope this helps.

 

Hi all,
Anybody knows what kind of connection uses the WiFi card in the flip15 first gen ? I think its a mPCIE. But need confirmation ...

Envoyé de mon Nexus 4 en utilisant Tapatalk

 

Hi Mark,

I have the 15 flip and just ordered the Toshiba 512gb SSD but i have just realised i ordered a 9.5mm thick will this fit in the 15flip?

also wheres the best place to buy a 8gb ram to go into th

 

It won't fit - you need a 7mm thick drive like Mark wrote.
The reason is not only that the case is very thin but also that two flatribbon cables are routed over the drive - the 2.5 mm may not sound like much but the space is simple not available.

Can't help you with that as I live in Germany.

 

Yeah, like Calibrator said, it won't fit, sorry about that...

Looking at Toshiba SSDs just now : did you order the THNSNHxxxGBST model ? That seems to be 9.5mm. They do have 7mm models in the 512GB capacity, so perhaps you could return this one and get a slimmer Toshiba drive (if the seller has them...). If not, then return this one for a refund and get a Samsung Evo or a Crucial M550 (or a cheaper and slightly slower M500...).

Good luck...

If you are in North America, NewEgg is pretty good for RAM usually. Amazon too, depending on deals. Here are some examples of 8GB sticks that would fit the Flip :

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory Model F3-1600C9S-8GRSL - Newegg.com
Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory Model BLS8G3N169ES4 - Newegg.com
Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Laptop Memory Model BLS8G3N18AES4 - Newegg.com
Patriot Viper SODIMM 8GB 204-Pin DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Laptop MemoryModel PV38G160LC9S - Newegg.com

You get the idea... No bargains right now at NewEgg, but who knows if you dig around.

 

Thanks for your response.

I ordered the HDTS251EZSTA I have just arranged for it to
Be sent back and I have now ordered the crucial MX100 512gb ssd is this ssd any good?

It's says its 7mm

 

Hi Dreamer,

OOoo... a new Crucial series I didn't know about

Yeah, they seem like great drives for the price, and 7mm indeed. You're getting the fastest MX100 ; the 512 does 550MB/s read and 500MB/s write (sequential) which is up there with the M550, but the MX100 256 does only 330MB/s write and the smaller 128 doesn't do well at 150MB/s write. Bottom line : those who are buying the larger drives (480, 512 or 1TB) have a choice between the cheaper (and still fast) M500, the slightly faster MX100 or the fastest M550, but those buying smaller 240, 256 or 128 should really get the M550 because the other two just don't have any write speed. Or get a Samsung Evo.

Enjoy the MX100

 

Thanks

I have mcafee which came my vaio saying it's for the vaio but I find it makes my system really slow what am I change it to as my internet subscription has expired now and would like to use one that slow my machine down at all if possible.

 

Deinstall that crap immediately!

Read reviews which software is good enough for your and your needs and use that.
By all means use the anti-virus software from Microsoft if you don't want to pay anything.

But don't get anything with the name "Norton" or "McAfee" attached to it!
Norton sold his software along with his name rights to Symantec and it all went downhill from this moment and McAfee did the same (sold it to Intel). Bloatware crap at their finest!

 

Hi everyone!

So I'll finally be getting my Flip 14 next week after months of deliberating. Excited! I was just wondering if there are any starter tips for me to follow when setting it up.
I'm assuming updating the BIOS is a must - after all those fan noise issues. From what I've gathered from this thread, the BIOS had an infinite upgrade/downgrade loop for the latest update but you can also get the update from the Japanese version of the site? What should I be looking for and how does one update the BIOS anyway?
Also curious to know whether it's a good idea to update to Windows 8.1...any known compatibility issues?
Any other things to be updated, settings to be tweaked, issues to be resolved, or good use practices I should be aware of? Any and all types of advice welcome!

Cheers
Usama

 

Hello.

After months of use, the screen has now lost its touch functionality. Checking the computer info it now states that it's not a touch compatible screen, which is of course false. I haven't been able to resolve this issue even by restoring the computer to an earlier date and I can't find any available drivers or such. Does anyone have a clue how to solve this?

 

I would do these things:

1. If it has a Broadcom Wi-fi card, you should definitely swap it out for another one. It is an utter piece of crap and is solely responsible for many returned units. There are video tutorials on youtube for it.

2. Install ThrottleStop if you plan on doing any heavy computing on the machine. Sony sets the throttling temp at 78C which is WAAAYYYY too low for an ultrabook.

3. If you have money, replace the internal HDD with an SSD. It will make the device fly.

4. Fresh install of Windows. This may be a personal thing, but I hate the amount of bloatware that modern laptops come with. Plus, if any issues appear, then you will have less things to be suspicious of.

Windows 8.1 should work fine with any recent bios. I'm using 270 and everything works, but even with 250 and 260, everything was working fine. Also, the fan noise was never really fixed. Sony's set fan curve is far too aggressive; From simply streaming Youtube videos, the fan will really start to ramp up. Anything that pushes the CPU core temp above 55C, which is pretty much everything worth doing, will trigger the hurricane that Sony calls a CPU fan.

If you restored the OS to a date where the touch was working, chances are your digitizer has gone bad. If you want to be completely sure, you can do a fresh install. Since you have been only using it for months and not years, you probably have warranty, so give Sony a call.

 

1. What are the known issues with the Broadcom card? My router is usually quite nearby so limited range isn't a huge issue for me...does it drop the signals randomly or something?

2. I will be using the notebook for intermediate-level video editing...so I guess using ThrottleStop is a must? Can you explain why this needs to be done? Will the laptop shut down if I exceed 78C while rendering?

3. Because of my video editing work, I specifically picked out a laptop with a large amount of storage space, so I would quite like the HDD to be in place. However, this one comes with 16GB NAND Flash memory..what is that supposed to do for me?

4. First thing I intend to do IS to uninstall every single piece of bloatware..would a fresh install of Windows have more worth for the inconvenience?

Would also like to know how to update the BIOS (and do a fresh install of Windows for that matter - I've only ever done it via discs)

Thanks.

 

I can't really say anything about the Broadcom card as I have one from Intel in my Flip but I remember people complaining about the range. In your case I would simply see what performance it has (if you actually get one - chances are that you do get one from Intel).
Replacing the card requires opening up the Flip which *may* void your warranty! I would strongly consider that before you take action - especially if you don't replace anything else (RAM, HDD).

As for video editing - you will probably get the biggest increase in speed not be preventing throttling but by using an external HDD with USB3 so that you can work with two drives. ThrottleStop will perhaps help with video encoding (continuos stress on the CPU) but not as much as video editing where the CPU waits for the user most of the time and has a chance to cool down between activities.
If the CPU overheats it will first come down to a crawl and then shut off immediately (which *will* affect your open files...) - but I don't know if the Flip also has some protections in place apart from the throttling. The throttling isn't really a protection, though, but a means to get the best performance at the given temperatures. Like kpop wrote Sony has a very aggressive temperature curve for the fan and the throttling so the Flips get slower quickly if they are hit with something that will stress the CPU.

If you thought that you will get a powerbul but always silent ultrabook you will be disappointed by the Flip. So, yes, you will hear the fan quite often when you hit the CPU with some stuff. Most of the time it shouldn't be too loud (and when you do nothing it will switch off completely) but you will definitely hear it when it's active.

Doing a fresh install is clearly a subjective thing and not a must on these machines, though. Personally, I wouldn't do it as the amount of bloatware isn't as excessive as with some other machines/vendors. Yes, there is stuff you probably don't need but you can usually uninstall it.

There are system utilities like Vaio Care from Sony which allow you to install updates - including BIOS update! - and which usually work well, even if they it sometimes takes a while until they notify the user that a new update is available. I'd rather have that than what Microsoft does with Windows update breaking the Office 13 installation for some people...

The creativity software is totally subjective, too, as some people love it (there are full versions of Photoshop Elements 12, Movie Studio Platinum 12, Sound Forge Audio Studio 10, Acid Music Studio 10 and ArtRage 3, for example) and others simply don't need it. Personally, I uninstalled what I definitely didn't need (like DVD Architect 5.0, the slew of cheap games and the crappy Sony image collecting software I already forgot the name of) and kept the rest for the future as I could need it someday. A 1TB drive (I replaced the HDD with a 1TB SSD) isn't really affected that much if you uninstall 1GB of software, anyway...

There may be a certain impact by system services from some of these programs but as we know Windows can be modified quite easily and if you don't want certain services - that send information to companies for example - you can shut them down. I really don't see the point of a fresh install (where you have to configure some of those services, too), it's cumbersome for people not that experienced and if you don't follow the protocol closely you may end up having problems.
I also have read too many posts from people with fresh installs (who didn't buy the option in the Sony webshop!) who then had missing drivers for whatever feature. In many notebooks there are special drivers needed for closing the lid etc. and the Flips have probably more than most because of the lid design (-> screen rotation sensor) so make sure you will get the drivers before you attempt a fresh install!

 

I should mentioned I purchased the Core i7 version...forgive me if I'm misinformed but isn't the point of the hyperthreading in an i7 to prevent slowing down the CPU especially during tasks like video encoding? Last I read up on it, I was promised that I could "watch an HD movie flawlessly while rendering a 1080p video simultaneously". Something tells me I'm in for some disappointment..

Not too fussed about fan noise to be honest..I think for that form factor and convenience it's a small price to pay. Or maybe I just haven't had the chance to listen to it in person for myself yet..

My current laptop has been going strong for 4.5 years without ever needing a system restore/fresh Windows install...think I'll stick to whatever Sony serves up and uninstall everything I don't need, like you suggested. I have my own media software (Sony Vegas, Adobe Photoshop) so I doubt I'll be needing PS Elements, Movie Studio and the like.


Thanks for the comprehensive reply, very informative! Another thing...in which order should I install the updates? Windows 8.1 first, then the BIOS, or the other way round?

 

Ok, spoke to soon. The fan is getting on my nerves. Its not too loud or anything. The issue is that it has started to cycle on and off every 15 seconds. It only stays on for like 4 seconds at a low speed, but its getting to be like chinese water torture. Anyone else having this issue. Looks like my hard drive is constantly spinning too because the yellow light blinks constantly even when I'm not doing anything on the computer.

 

The point of hyperthreading is to simulate four CPU logical cores with two physical ones so that software that can actually make use of them - like some video encoders or Photoshop - can work a bit quicker in certain tasks. You will *never* get the capacity of four physical cores with hyperthreading, of course, but for some programs it will make a speed increase from 5 to 50% - only benchmarks will spit out higher numbers.

However, Hyperthreading has nothing to do with throttling or speedstepping or whatever tech that actually decreases the CPU clock frequency - AKA slows it down.

Of course all programs use system ressources like CPU speed and if your CPU usage is high (or your RAM is full) you may get the feeling that the system is slowing down.

If you have a major program running that only uses one CPU core to the brim (=25% of the CPU usage) and stresses the HD to the max you will experience a somewhat sluggish system even though there is still CPU capacity left...

This promise should be OK - but it will take (much) longer to render/encode a video when you watch a HD movie.

You have to understand that *everything* takes bandwidth and processing time on a computer (i.e. the CPU, the RAM, the mass storage etc.).
So if you watch a HD movie, which takes several gigabytes of compressed(!) data, the CPU or the graphics chip (depends on the system and the video codec) will decompress the video. Depending on the codec (that's the method the movie is compressed, simply speaking) and the featureset of the hardware this may result in CPU usage from a few to many percent. The more is used for the decoding (=the more the movie is compressed) the less CPU capacity you have for encoding the video.

Doing both tasks at the same time *will* result in getting the system quite hot - and therefore loud.

The next part of the equation is the mass storage - so if you read an HD movie from the harddisk and then encode a movie (which needs both a source and a target file) you already have at least three(!) data transfers to and from the harddisk.
The harddisk is therefore the second bottleneck in this scenario but as movie viewing usually gets a higher priority you should be able to watch the movie without hiccups. Your encoding will take longer, though, and I estimate that it could take twice as long (or more) to render a movie then...

If you expect a silent system with endless power then that could well be the case... ;-)

Perhaps you haven't really put some stress on the CPU, yet? Get Prime95 and let it run the "Torture Test" for a dozen minutes or so to get an impression what you are in for...

Good strategy - for any system. If you still have trouble with it then come asking again! And you can always try the fresh install method at a later point, when you know more of the system (and you know that the hardware works!).

If you really get an Windows 8 machine you should do the following:
- First of all: Create recovery media! Either on a 32GB USB2 memory stick - no USB3! - or on DVDs if you have an external DVD burner. My recommendation would be an USB stick - search this thread for recommended products!
- Then install all the Windows updates for Windows 8 using the regular Windows Update program (you have to do that in order to get 8.1 on your system!)
- Then get the free Win 8.1 upgrade from the Microsoft store - you have a link to the store on the Windows 8 desktop (pardon me if that's inaccurate because I bought a Flip with 8.1 preinstalled)
- Then install all Windows 8.1 updates using the regular Windows Update program
- The rest should be up to you - but I would create another "clean backup" at this time before changing the system to my likings...

 

Good advice here. Just to complement, if I may :

Before updating to 8.1 (via the Windows Store), you should launch Vaio Care and do all the Sony updates, including a new BIOS if available. And then do the 8.1 upgrade and then launch Vaio Care again, for newer updates relevant to Windows 8.1
Of course this sequence only applies if you are getting a Windows 8 (not 8.1) machine to start with, like Calibrator mentionned. If you get one with 8.1 out of the box, then the process is really much simpler (do Vaio Care and Windows Update in the order you prefer...).
The main reason why you need to do Vaio updates before the 8.1 upgrade is that there is one (or two) Sony component that needs to be updated while under W8, because it cannot be updated once 8.1 is onboard. I forget which component it is though.
About the BIOS : care must be given to install the correct version for your model, and at the right time. For example : some BIOS versions should not be installed on Flips that came with W8, because they were coded only for W8.1. Flips that are upgraded from W8 to W8.1 always need a BIOS that can run on both 8 and 8.1 because if you do a Recovery to factory settings, you're going back to W8 and your BIOS needs to be able to handle this situation. When the Vaio Care program offers you a newer BIOS, you can be sure it is right for your model. There are also two families of BIOS for the Flips out there, depending on where you live, so just make sure you don't get a BIOS from a Sony site outside of your country, unless you are 100% sure of what you are doing... On top of Vaio Care, you can also visit the Sony support site for your country, enter your Flip model # and look for available updates manually. This way is safe too, because you are at the correct Sony website for your location and your model number ensures that you are looking at updates meant for your machine.

And just to add to Calibrator's explanation on the Core i7 with hyperthreading : these Core i7s in the Flips are in the ULV category, meaning "ultra-low voltage", which kinda means low power. These processors are built for battery life rather than power. They are 2-core, like the ULV Core i5s, with 4 logical cores available when hyperthreading. They also have "turbo boost" available, which can raise clock speeds under certain conditions. The problem with the Flips is they *throttle* too soon, removing any advantage hyperthreading and turbo boost offer.

 

Yes, thanks for the addendum, Mark!

See - that's exactly why I got 8.1 in the first place! ;-)

That's all true. If you update the BIOS with Vaio Care you "should" be in good hands.
Sometimes an updated BIOS on the Japanese Sony support site is exactly the same as the one in Europe and the US, though. I checked that for the most recent BIOS for my 15" Flip by comparing the file contents - but the best way is using Vaio Care.
There are really only two reasons to do a manual install: You either want the BIOS update earlier than with the automatic update via Vaio Care - or you want to install an older BIOS version as Vaio Care only installs newer versions.

That's right - and the situation is worse if you have a 15" Flip with Nvidia graphics: The Optimus tech - which enables the Geforce chip - is allegedly disabled in TurboBoost mode (I haven't verified this, yet) so you can't really have the maximum performance from both chips. Either you prevent TurboBoost (by limiting the maximum CPU performance to 99% in the energy settings) and get the Geforce chip or you have the TurboBoost to get the most out of the CPU but have to cope with the integrated Intel HD graphics unit. As I said this only affects the 15-inchers with Geforce chip if this is correct.

The next "problem" affects all Flips using the Intel graphics unit: The thermal design power ( "TDP") of the i7 CPU used in the Flips is 15 Watts - for the whole chip: CPU *and* Intel HD graphics unit!
To counter overheating the CPU employs what Intel calls "Thermal Monitoring Technologies" which results in this: If the unit produces too much heat it clocks itself down to stay within power and temperature limits. This of course will reduce the performance and not only the TurboBoost flies out of the window, the graphics unit is also clocked down if necessary.
Note that this normal behaviour for these Intel processors and not specific to the Flips so machines from other manufacturers are also suffering from this.

However, considering the weak cooling tech inside the Flips and the low temperature ceilings set by Sony (and/or Nvidia in the 15" Flips) the conclusion is pretty clear: All of this doesn't make for a system built for sustained maximum performance but for a mobile, power-efficient system that's more aimed at low-power applications (-> regular users) and can cope well with peak demands.
Note, that this is in general true for many ultrabooks as they have the same type of CPU and mainboard/graphics units - some machines are better with heat than others, though.

By the way:
I'm still of the opinion that Intel's TurboBoost is nothing else than Doublespeak: They promote a higher clock under certain circumstances (-> less cores active) but the CPU will fall down to its "normal" frequency when all cores are active.
The way I see it: Intel can't keep up the maximum operating frequency when all cores are fully used and has to throttle the clock in order to stay in the temperature limits. So the "TurboBoost" is only a fancy word for a throttling mechanism that isn't active...

 

Is there anyway to downgrade the bios? I think this Bios has my fan working too much. I cant take it.

 

@funndamentals : not sure what the answer is here. I contacted a Sony support rep online via chat some months ago concerning the 240-250 BIOS upgrades, and the rep told me that downgrading the BIOS had to be done by them (meaning in-shop). No explanations were given, but my guess was the CMOS needs to be reset, or something... This was at a time when Sony had issued a few quick updates (240 and 250) and then decided users should not upgrade to those and stick with 230 instead. I don't think we've had one owner report on successfully downgrading a BIOS here in this thread... but I could be wrong. Just in case someone has, could you provide us with the version you have and version you wish to downgrade to ?

Good luck...

==========================

@Calibrator : all very good points and observations. My daughter has the Flip now, so my expericence is very limited. Her Flip is a 14" with Intel graphics only, so I wouldn't be able to play with Optimus anyway. There have been some excellent recent posts here on how to tackle throttling (thanks to all). Fortunately for me, the daughter is a light user and likes to draw so she's enjoying the Flip a whole bunch. The only recurring problem I've seen her have is random wi-fi slowdowns and disconnects, with the Intel 7260N card. This was under the 230 BIOS and I finally upgraded that last week to 270. Don't know if it has helped for Wi-Fi or not, time will tell.

 

@Calibrator, @Mark - thanks for the really comprehensive replies. I think I understand hyperthreading better now. As well as the logical order of updates of course.
Just to make it clear, I haven't actually received my Flip yet, will get it in a couple of days. It's the 14" with the i7, and I had a friend buy it for me in-store in Los Angeles two weeks ago (the website had it listed as discontinued). By the way, the list price on the website was $1150, but when my friend mentioned that it was discontinued on the website and that they only had six left in stock, they gave it to him for $1000. Pretty cool.
I will post here if I need any further clarifications once I have actually received my Flip.

Now that you've mentioned TurboBoost, I was wondering what that is and how it's supposed to work. I have two primary uses for my laptop: in college, where my tasks are simple - word processing and web browsing, that's about it. Here I would like to squeeze out as much as I can from the battery, considering I spend about 10 hours on campus every day and do not want to lug around the charger. The second major use is, as I mentioned, video editing and rendering (I work as a freelancer online). Here I would like to take full advantage of the i7 (and TurboBoost, whatever that is?) can offer - with battery life not a concern since it'll be plugged in most of the time anyway.
So to switch between these two - battery vs performance - will Sony's default power plan options be sufficient? Does TurboBoost come on automatically when needed or do I have to muck around and overclock it?

 

This weekend I received my Sony Vaio Flip 15 and made a few changes.

1. Replaced the internal ssd with the samsung evo 1tb ssd. Used the software that came with it.
2. Replaced the wireless card with the wireless card from my NUC as the NUC is wired connected. I didn't know the default wireless card inside does not support N networks. Without the N I was maxing at 40 mbps on my wireless and with the N, I can now touch 102 mbps. Full capacity of my wireless.

Overall, the system is fast and responsive. I have uninstalled alot of sony bloatware.

Finally the screen has a slight pink blemish which is visible only in dark backgrounds. I am sending this baby to sony for a screen replacement. I got this on ebay and the person had a 3 year accidental damage warranty. hopefully they will fix it right. That was a little downer to see this happen.

 

I have a flip 15 2880 hd display with 1tb ssd. the fan starts up on boot but thats it. it is really silent unless I do some high intensity work such as scan all folders etc. mine is a clean boot install.
I have updated the bios to the latest version as well.

 

What is the experience with Sony repair with anyone. I hope they don't replace my unit for the display issue I have. I have upgraded mine with a 1tb ssd and the wifi card. that would be expensive to replace if they replace the unit.

In my previous experience with an accidental damage laptop, they fixed every bit of it but didn't replace or change anything.

 

Hi there asadani,

I haven't had to return the Flip, so I don't have first hand experience with their service.

However... I strongly feel you should have removed the EVO and the NUC Wi-Fi card before sending it in. We've discussed this here many times and elsewhere too I'm sure : when you return a computer or whatever, send it with the original components or the manufacturer may refuse to do the warranty work. Or, they may (as you suspect) send you another unit as a replacement, so you'd lose your new toys. That would be terrible...

You mentionned that the original Wi-Fi card doesn't support N ? Really ? Which card did you have ? And I am curious to know what the model# is for that NUC card you installed ? Thanks..

 

Point noted. When I return it i will replace the original things inside it. I just hate to open it up. the whole unit looks very fragile and I've already opened it up 4 times. Hope i don't mess it up. There are some fine cables inside to remove and reinsert. not to mention the antennae cables for the wifi card. Once I get the box to return the laptop from sony I will make the switch.

I didn't note the wireless card that was there inside the nuc but when I make the switch I will take note of it. The one inside was an Intel chip and it said N but didn't catch the N networks. I replaced it with this version which has bluetooth and N for sure. I had gotten it from amazon. Its cheap for 17.99 and picks up N networks just fine.

Intel Centrino® Advanced-N 6235 802.11n Half Size Mini PCIe Bluetooth 4.0 Combo Adapter 6235ANHMW 802.11 a/b/g/n 300 Mbps

I believe what I had was the model 7260. The one I installed 6235 has two chips. one on the back as well. The 7260 had just the front.

 

Here's something you should do when you get the Flip back (or before you send it away) if you haven't already done it before you cloned the system to the SSD:
-> Create recovery media from the original harddisk!

The problem with the Samsung cloning software is that it ignores the recovery partition in the cloning process!
Advantage: You have about 30 GB more space on the SSD - Disadvantage: You have no recovery partition and therefore you obviously can't do a recovery from the SSD if needed!

Yes, you still have the original harddrive but you would have to open the Flip again to swap the drives each time you would want to do that (plus you would need to clone to the SSD again...).

 

TB is a fully automatic and transparent speed increase. You could call it "factory overclocking" in a sense...
Advantage: The CPU is faster,
Disadvantages: This uses more energy and generates more heat. This can ("will" in the case of the Flips) lead to more fan spinning = more noise.

You enable it by allowing the CPU to run with max. 100% - there's a setting for it in the extended energy settings.
That should do it - and it will be active when other criteria are met by the task(s) using the CPU cores.

There is nothing else you can do to overclock, at least not by setting the CPU multiplicator higher than with TurboBoost mode as the maximum CPU multiplicator is locked (this is defined by the chip and this isn't an OC chip, so to speak).
The OC method using the multiplicator is the preferred method today, increasing the bus frequency on the other hand can lead to unforseen consequences and even dead peripherals or system components. So forget overclocking on the Flips until somebody finds a way to securely do that (which I doubt will happen).

As you likely won't get 10 hrs. of constant operation out of a single battery charge - even with less intensive jobs like you describe above - you will either have to restrict uptime and put the system to sleep when you don't need it or consider taking the charger with you. Perhaps you have a locker or something like that?

Search the thread for user experiences regarding battery life! (Depending on the usage I get between 4 and 5.5 hrs. with my 15" Flip with a hi-dpi display and more RAM so you can't compare that to the 14" model)

I hope you have no problems with the fan noise here, too...

You can switch between two energy modes just fine - and you can modify them or create new ones.

TurboBoost is allowed when the max. CPU setting is at 100% and it depends on the program and the CPU core usage how high the boost will actually be. If the CPU isn't needed as much the clock frequency will automatically get reduced to a lower level so it won't eat as much battery.
You can also define two different settings - depending if the Flip is in battery or plugged-in mode - so you can allow TurboBoost only if the machine is plugged in (by setting it 100%) and forbid it (to save energy) if you limit it in battery mode to 99% or lower.

There are, however, many more options in the extended energy settings and you may want to see if they are worth enabling (or disabling) = if they actually save much power in your "low power usage scenario".

You therefore have the option to either use different energy modes or use one that you modified for both usage scenarios, with a little compromise here and there so that you don't need to switch the modes constantly.

What you will need to do is to experiment with your Flip when you get it - to see how fast it actually is and low you are able to go when trying to save power. How impatient are you? Can you really live with a notebook that is possibly slower than your old one when in extreme power saving mode? No forum post can do this for you...

 

Here's something you should do when you get the Flip back (or before you send it away) if you haven't already done it before you cloned the system to the SSD:
-> Create recovery media from the original harddisk!

The problem with the Samsung cloning software is that it ignores the recovery partition in the cloning process!
Advantage: You have about 30 GB more space on the SSD - Disadvantage: You have no recovery partition and therefore you obviously can't do a recovery from the SSD if needed!

Yes, you still have the original harddrive but you would have to open the Flip again to swap the drives each time you would want to do that (plus you would need to clone to the SSD again...).[/QUOTE]

Sad to know. I just paid sony 50 dollars for the recovery media. Would that suffice?
Here is the image of the two wireless cards. One which came with Sony and the other purchased from amazon which connects to N networks just fine

Note: Looking at reviews on Amazon, it seems that this card can connect to the N networks. I couldn't get it to work with mine. Has anyone been successful? As soon as I switched to the old wifi card, I could see the N network of my netgear router.

 

If this media is exactly for the right kind of machine (which it sould say on the label/documents) then you should be fine.

Actually, if you got "factory printed DVDs" (I'm not talking about the label on the disk but the method of putting the data on the disk) and not "burned" ones then the recovery media is better than disks you burn yourself as factory-printed ones have far better longevity.

You can also create recovery data on an USB stick nowadays, which I would recommend as the longevity is usually good enough for most users (most flash memory makers say that their chips will keep the data two to three years - if they say something at all...).

That being said...

What you should do next is to get a disk imaging software to backup your whole drive including the Windows installation, all patches to it and of course your own data (= a lot of time you put into the machine). This software usually is backing up to an external harddisk - with USB3 this is a speedy process in my experience. You can also backup to network drives but as the 14" Flips don't have an ethernet jack you would have to use Wifi for it which is much slower than USB3.

As for the backup program you would need one that allows for creating a bootable USB stick or disk to get the backup back onto your harddrive. What I use is the free version of "Paragon Backup Recovery 2014" which gives me no problems and is easy to use in my book.
You will need an external utility like this as Microsoft got rid of this backup functionality with Windows 8 (they had included it in Windows 7)!

While somebody can easily miss creating the recovery media - you are not the first one ;-) - there is really no excuse for not creating a backup of the system as the software is free and you should get an external harddisk to at least make a copy of your important personal data anyway. A 1TB external drive is also dirt cheap compared to what you pay for a new machine like a Flip.

I have this Intel 7260N network card in my 15" Flip, too, and I have no problems connecting to my router but I use one of the better models of a different brand called "FRITZ!Box" (= *the* standard brand in Germany). However, I'm hardly an authority on this subject as I usually use the Flip in my Flat where I get a maximum of 144 mbps according to Windows - which result in 10-12 MB/s for file transfers in reality outside benchmarks. This may depend on the availability of channels and other influences as I live in an area that is relatively crowded.

 

Calibrator.

Thanks for the update. I've sent in my laptop and they have sent it to bestbuy in Louisville, KY Best Buy. Sony is so disorganized. They had sent me to bestbuy for repair and bestbuy in LA refused. Now they have shipped my laptop to another bestbuy. I don't know what is going to happen now. They were going to have me send my laptop earlier in the shipped box to sony service center to plano texas. When the box didn't arrive, they made me go to the ups store to drop it off and gave me a tracking to sent it to bestbuy. I am so annoyed at the experience. I don't have a good feeling that my laptop will come back repaired or without any additional issues.

As for the N card, I will leave the sony's version inside the laptop when it comes back repaired and change some settings on my router to see if it see's the N network. The point to note here is that the current setting on the pc with the sony wifi card does not see any ones's N networks and there are lots around me in my apartment.

 

@asadani : sorry about not replying sooner. It's been hectic around here. A few days ago I thought you had already returned the Flip with your EVO and wi-fi card in it, so I am relieved you got to remove them. Sorry to hear that you are getting the runaround from Sony for the service... yikes...

@Calibrator : thanks for picking up where I left off. You gave detailed responses to asadani and I appreciate that.
Just FYI, the 14s do have an ethernet jack ; it's just the ultralight/thin Flips that don't (13s and 11s).

As far as the 7260N card goes, I'll have to check back with my daughter and make sure she tells me if/when/how often she gets disconnects or slowdowns.

 

Hi! I have a SVF15N17CBS. My keyboard backlight doesn't work. Vaio Control Center doesn't show the KEYBOARD AND MOUSE option, as suggested at the sony website and upgrade this software didn't work aswell. Since i buy it and upgraded immediately, i really don't remember if the keyboard was able to turn its leds on with the windows 8, and i'm here to ask if some of you guys experienced the same issue and how did you get to solve this problem. Sorry about my bad english, i'm Brazilian. Best regards!