Official VAIO E Series Owners Thread

Hi Guys I just spoke to a Sony Style uk customer service rep who confirmed that the UK 15.5inch Full HD EB is not LED backlit and that's why they don't state it on there website :-( Seems like I'm back at square 1 as I wanted an LED
Full HD 1920x1080 laptop.

Any suggestions - would love a blu ray writer aswell.

Thanks

 

No laptop in the market comes with LED Screen. LED backlit means the method to provide the backlight is via LEDs. All screens are LCD only.
Just visit any Sony Style store near you and enjoy hands on any E-Series with Full HD screen.. You will not be disappointed mate..

 

wait a minute were you guys asking if the screen is made out of LED's? of course there are no LED screens, the Vaio screens are LED back lighted, not made of LEDs!, I opened up my vaio and saw that there was no inverter connection, , there was a port but no plug in it, so i doubt they will be CFL based...hell, even huge "LED" tv screens arent really LED screens, if a screen is AMOLED or SUPER AMOLED like the Iriver spinn or the Samsung Galaxy S, or the AMOLED Samsung screens, these are actually LED based.

 

Hi guys - thanks for your responses -

Just to clarify I was referring to LED backlit screens for the EB 15.5 series.

The uk rep said no uk EB's are LED backlit and they are single ccfl.

It seems both of you guys have the EB with 1080p screens - are you from the UK? What are your 15.5 HD screens like? Are they Bright with good colour representation? Glossy? Are yours LED backlit?

Sorry for all the questions but your responses would be much appreciated?

Thanks

 

Hi Digital Soul

In addition to my previous post (please respond to that to) it seems like you have the Same Model I am looking at - EB 15.5 inch - are there any issues that I should know about? Also how do find the trackpad and speakers?

Thanks in advance

 

My EB 15.5 inch (UK) will be here on Thursday apparently. I'm into photography and calibrate with a Spyder - i'll let you know how it is when it arrives if you like but dude, just go to a Sony store already and look for yourself.

The 1080p EB screens get very favourable reviews. What are you so worried about? And why the hookup on it being LED backlit?

EDIT: Forgot to specify that I have of course got the 1080p full HD screen on the way!

 

I bought a sony vaio eb series laptop online and will receive it today. I did not get it engraved. I read that you can return your laptop within 30 days as long as it isn't engraved. My question is what is the most you can do with the laptop before returning it? I mean if you open the box and see your laptop and don't like how it looks, i can see you can return it.

However, are you allowed to return it if you boot the cd in and set up the computer? What if you download programs and hear some music, are you still allowed to return it? I am assuming you can only return it if you didn't load the windows cds correct?

 

Hi Mih11

Thanks for your response.

Unfortunately the Sony Store’s near me don’t have any Full HD EB’s (Milton Keynes, St Albans and Welwyn Garden City) and therefore I haven’t been able to go check them out.

The only reason I have been asking about the LED Backlighting is due to the brightness and quality of the screen as CCFL backlight is generally inferior. I was originally looking at a F Series and found many bad reviews about the Vaio Display Plus (Not Vaio Premium) Full HD Screen’s.

If you know of any particular online reviews for the EB 15.5 Full HD model please can you post the link here on the forum as it would really clarify things for me.

Congrat’s on your purchase. Once you receive yours tomorrow your comments will be much appreciated as I am looking to order mine by the end of the week.

Many thanks

 

God Damnnnn! This Atheros Ar9285 Chip Is A Pain In The Azz!! Does Anyone Know Whether It Can Be Fixed With Newer Drivers And Where To Get Them?

 

It can't be fixed. I've changed to Intel 6200 AGN, because I couldn't stand downloading anything with Atheros 9285 - 5 minutes and the it disconnects, nothing can fix it!

 

Hi guys are you saying there is a problem with the wireless card on the E Seires? Does the connection not stay stable?

 

No problems at all with mine, haven't had a single drop in 6 months.

 

Hi Mythdat -

I've been asking other Forum memebers but I noticed that you are in the UK and have a 1080p 15.5 EB Series?

How is your screen in terms of quality and brightness? Does it have a glossy finish and is it comparbale to other brands? Its just that I have heard that the 15.5 Full HD screens are not LED Backlit but are CCFL.

Your comments would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

The 1080p screen is very good. Obviously not quite up to the standards of business line notebooks, but much better than the E-Series' lo-res screen and up there with the better mainstream screens. Yes it is glossy - again, you won't really find matte screens outside of business notebooks, bar one or two exceptions. Brightness and quality are very good.

re: one of your earlier posts, the speakers are quite poor, so if that's important to you it might be better to look elsewhere.

 

Hi Mythdat,

Many thanks for your prompt responses. Is there anything else you feel that I should know in terms of issues regarding this model? Would you recommend the bigger 17.3 Full HD LED version?

Thanks

 

No major issues, no - it's a pretty solid notebook. 17.3" vs 15.5" is all down to personal preference and how big you want it. It's the same machine with a bigger screen, and potentially 2 HDD bays assuming you order it with 2 HDDs in it, at the cost of size and weight.

 

Hi,
i have eb1s1e with classic ccfl display. Screen is unevenly backlit and I am considering to send it to service. Is it possible to change display on this model to LED display with full hd resolution?

 

1. It connects all the time fine...but it always says either "no network access" or "no internet access" with the little exclamation in a yellow triangle.

 

exactly what do you mean you've changed?, is this a new wifi card or another driver? aww...darn double post...sorry guys

 

Link to my thread about my mouse pad problems, please see if you can help.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/524786-sony-vaio-left-right-click-buttons-dont-work.html

 

Can anyone comment on the EB Series 15.5inch Battery Life on general use - Surfing the web, youtube, music, viewing pictures?

Thanks

 

Around 2h - 2h30 with a dedicated GPU

 

Many thanks for your quick response - 2h-2h30 is decent with a 5650 GPU and 1920x1080 15.5 Screen.

I'm happy with that.

 

I've installed a new wifi card. I tried many things with Atheros, normal drivers (3 versions), disabling energy saving, installing modded drivers and it didn't help me. I'm not a newbie user and have never had such problems, that's why I'm a bit surprised.

 

If you have the chance opt for the free battery upgrade - they do it now and then. I timed things right and got the 5000 mAh battery and it lasts about 4-4.5 hours on my clean install of Win7 Home (you can use the key on the back and a Windows 7 Home iso to do a clean install minus all the sony-crapware that runs tons of background processes).

 

i have been using an exernal keyboard since i bought this laptop
now im using this at starbuck and the fn key is not working
so i cant lower/increase my brightness, lower sound, etc
anyone can help me please???

 

Hey everyone. I received my sony vaio 15.5 eb series laptop today. However, the left click on touchpad right clicks. Support told me its a hardware issue that cannot be fixed and that they can send someone over. Also, if i want to close the firefox window... pressing the left or right click works which is a problem with this touchpad. The scrolling of the touchpad however has no problem though. Would you guys suggest i sent this laptop back instead? If they send someone to come and repair it, they would have to open the laptop and i don't think that is good for the long run of my computer. Should i just request a new laptop instead? Also, i got the free $50 upgrade when i purchased the laptop. I would assume i don't have to pay the extra $50 now correct? The battery life i notice is around 2 hours just web browsing. I am thinking if i should just return it and get a sager 5135 because i heard battery life is 3 hours.

However, the sony vaio LOOKS VERY NICE. Thoughts?

 

Dear all,

Just wanted to say thank you for all you help with information regarding the E Series.

I went into Currys today and saw both the EB and EC in the flesh and I felt the EB screen was little small for me but thats not to say it didnt look amazing.

I have now ordered the EC with the specs outlined below.

Only issue now is 2-3 weeks Delivery

 

Wintereq (or anyone else)

I have bought a VPC-EB3Z1 - full HD, i5...... Very happy with everything (at least now it was a 256Gb C300 inside it!) except the IMO tragically bad wireless. Dont quite understand why having paid £1000+ (in sweden) for this, why Sony are not sticking in an Intel 6200 or 6300 chip. A cheap single channel card - BAH

Anyway - I have taken the keyboard off, removed the HDD and memory covers on the back and cant work out where the wireless chip is. Can anyone who has replaced the standard chip let me know or where it is please?

Thanks in advance

Tim

 

I ordered mine on the 3rd and it quoted 3-4 weeks. It's already at the logistics centre and was suppposed to be dispatched today, so I wouldn't be surprised if your estimate is a lot less too.

 

What driver version do you have? I'm having problems with mine, and I've got version 2.0.0.74. I don't think I've ever updated it. If an update doesn't work I think I'll get rid of it too.

 

8.0.0.279 is the version of the Atheros I am using. Again, mine is dropping (reconnecting quickly, but still dropping) and the speed is generally very bad. I have a 5100,5300,6200 and 6300 spare (I think only the 62 and 63 are the right size).

Also the Atheros chip fitted is only 2.4Ghz and it refuses to connect at 40Mhz, only 20. There are no 'settings' in the device options like there are for the Intels. Sure for some people this is sufficient but I think its a bit poor. Maybe for a small netbook nowadays, but for an i5 15 inch laptop, I expect a bit more than a single channel wireless card.

Oh and I have tried a few different driver versions (version 8.?.?,?) and doesnt seem to make any difference.

 

8.0.0.238

If you're having that many problems whereas I haven't had a single one, the problem is most likely in the connection with your router, rather than the wifi card itself.

 

I am posting this from my private messages thinking that it might be useful for someone.

 

DigitalSoul, thanks for posting that. I'm currently trying to decide whether to go for an EB or a F, and I think I'm warming up more to an EB.

 

I was also looking to buy an F series but got put off due to the ongoing fan/CPU noises - Apparently they are quite Loud and the issues have been there through all three models over the course of the year - after reading a number of posts here and online reviews the E series is a better and safer option.

I just ordered the 17.3 E series with a full hd led screen -the f series has a matte screen which is good but won't be as bright as a glossy one - can't wait to get mine!

Seriously consider the E series.

 

I'm going to go the the nearest Sony shop to check them both out IRL. I can live with a little more noise as the i7 CPU is also a bit more powerful, but there has to be balance

With the F series you get a few more goodies (USB 3.0, backlit keyboard etc) but I'm a bit turned off by the size and weight. With the EB your get pretty much the same power (CPU+GPU) in a smaller, cheaper package. It does seem though that there are differences in the screens in Europe/UK and US (the latter where I would be buying it).

 

Hey guys i will be returning a sony vaio laptop i bought online from sony. They shipped it to me via fedex. My question is do you guys who ship back laptops must ship by fedex? Or can you do ups or usps? Or is that too risky? The closest fedex near my place is pretty far away and this box with laptop and stuff is around 8lbs but the box is heavy and big. If i have Fedex to my apartment as oppose to me going there to drop it off to send, how much more money would that cost me than if i were to drop it off at fedex? When would be the earliest i can have someone come to my door and pick up the package? Do most people just go to fedex themselves?

I only shipped things before my usps and of course they were smaller things which i could carry easily to post office. My laptop cost me about $950 and i would like to make sure its safe. Would i need to buy insurance and can someone estimate what would be my total cost? What shipping option should i get?

Thank you!

 

Hi!
Anyone here knows what model will be replacing the EA27FX\L?

Thanks!

 

You need to speak to Sony. They should be covering the cost of returning it, and they will advise you on which service to use.

 

Hey everyone i have the sony vaio vpceb390x.

By the way, i am having 2nd thoughts about returning it because the laptops looks so nice but the left and right click don't work on touchpad.

But does your battery charge very slowly? When my battery is low, i plug the charge in and say its 20 percent left. I charge it for 30 minutes and battery life only goes up to 45 percent. I think it takes about 1.5 hour to charge it fully! Is my laptop faulty on battery as well? My old dell laptop probably takes about 35 minutes at the most to fully charge it 100 percent.

 

The touchpad is one of the most important parts of a laptop. If the clickers aren't working right, or even slightly off, that is a no go. My clicks work fine, but the tracking on the pad is subpar. If I had known of the E-Series touchpad issues (visit CNET, their 3 test machines all track poorly) I would not have an e-series. 95% of the time with the right pressure it is fine, but sometimes it just freaks out and that is unacceptable.

As far as battery, the e-series comes with a very low-end battery. Most report 2.5 hours of usage on the base battery, the high capacity is a bit better at 4 hours. Even the high capacity is only a 6-cell. The charging of 1.5 hours is fairly normal. I believe that is around what it takes mine. Remember, the e-series is an entry/lower-mid level laptop.

 

Greetings!

I've been following this post for a few weeks now. I ended up purchasing the EB390x and is being shipped - it's in China right now!

I've got some questions if somebody could help with that:

1. Where do I get the specs from i.e. I've been to the Sony website and it says that the specs for the model have not been released yet. Also I called up Sony customer service, also ask other questions, who said to check with technical so I called them and they told me they couldn't help me and told me to ask customer service.

2. i5-580 processor: I've heard that Sony disabled the VT, AES and TET functions as a part of a deal with Intel. Has anyone heard the same? How would you check that?

3. I plan to upgrade the RAM. Does this model have 2 or 3 dimms? Also what type of RAM is compatible with this model?

4. In order to make a recovery disk should I use DVD-R or DVD+R or does it not matter?

5. Is it possible to reinstall windows from recovery or disk and get rid of the crapware?

6. Eventually - sometime next year - I'll upgrade my Windows 7 from home to professional. Once I do, is it a good idea to replace the original recovery partition with the new windows set up? If so, how and is there a link where I can find that info?

7. Semi/Clean install: is it worth it? Or is it better to just uninstall programs individually.

8. Is there any pre-installed software which you feel is a MUST delete?

9. The glare can be pretty bad on this laptop, is there any anti-glare filter or film out there?

I think that's enough questions for the first time. I'd really appreciate any help with this.

Drew1 - I've followed your posts and feel bad cause you got the wrong mouse pad/buttons. But When I was buying the laptop, it was definitely one of the nicest looking ones. Also for the specs its one of the best deals I could find- aside from ASUS which seems to offer the best price for the specs. When I looked into Sagar there were too many complaints all over the web so I stayed away. In your case since you really like the way the Vaio looks maybe its not a bad to have the Sony tech come by and fix it. It's not a bad thing to open up a laptop. At worst the tech will replace it. That's just my suggestion.

____________________________
Sony Vaio EB 390x: i5-580M, 4GB SDRAM DDR3, ATI 5650 (1GB), 320GB HDD (7,200 rpm), 15.5" FHD 1080p. DVD.

 

I also noticed right now. The sony vaio i have has this hissing sound on the bottom left of it. Its not that loud but its annoying. I noticed if i close all the firefox browsers... then its gone. Anyone know if this problem is normal?

 

Touchpad works fine, though I had to reinstall the drivers for it, I actually think the touchpad is good....battery, I get 1.5hrs of life (full brightness).

Yes, the hissing noise is due to electronic components on the being incompatible with the C3/C6 stepping that the CPU enforces. When booting, go into the system configuration menu(i think its F2 or F8 or F10), and disable the C3/C6 stepping for the CPU. It'll make the noise go away. (the c3/c6/c7 stepping is a technique that enables the operating system to manage your battery life, annoying thing is, not all component configurations are used to it...Speedstep technology is still kinda new)

 

Right. You can adjust that bios setting to eliminate the noise at the expense of lower battery life. Except, Speedstep technology is not new. It has been around since processors compatible with Windows XP. The first processors with EIST were available in 2004, with widespread adoption by nearly all intel processors by 2006.

 

How much battery life would i lose if i disable the c3/c6? I have the i3-370m processor. Does this sound happen with all sony e series laptops whether you have i3 or i5 or i7 processor?

 

Check out the following thread as the problem listed there sounds exactly like yours:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/525069-sony-vaio-e-serie-high-pitch-noise-whine.html

According to that thread, the problem is related the CPU going into power saving mode. By turning off the C3/C6 you'll leave your processor running at full throttle. From what I've read, the EB series has a terrible battery life to begin with. About 2-2.5 hrs. Running at full throttle I'd estimate 1-1.5 hrs with a reasonably lit screen.

GL

 

you know what i meant, hell.... speed step was around in the windows 97/98 time!

1.5 hrs is exactly right.