Official VAIO Z Core 2 Duo Series Owners Thread

Here is a picture showing the white marks on the screen of my Z.
It's very noticeable when the background is of a light shade or if the lid is tilted at only around 45 degrees from opening.
This picture was made with a mobile so the quality isn't great but it clearly shows the white marks.
I have a few now, about 10 around the middle part of the screen. I noticed only one initially around where the dot of the i in the vaio logo on the outside.
Did some googling and loads of people have these kind of issues with various laptops and brands and I'm hesitating in calling Sony to check if they would fix this.
This is in addition with the screen damaged with a permanent horizontal scratch due to the screen touching the raised edge next to the trackpad when the lid is closed. A flexbile lid is maybe a good idea but obviously is not without issues!

Daniel

 

i just checked the z690 on the canadian site and it has been updated, it seems that you can order it now

(but it still says 62bit for some reason, guess nobody noticed the mistake)

 

I sent in my Vaio Z with the same exact problem (only one artifact) to Sony Repairs, and they fixed it for me as part of warranty. Call up Sony and find out if they'll replace the screen for you. Both these issues doesn't seem to be your fault, but a design flaw of the Z. I don't see why they shouldn't repair it.

 

Just created a new case, see what they say....

Fist hurdle: getting Sony tech support understand the difference between software and (clearly) hardware issues. They're asking me to revert back to the originally installed OS before even considering my case. Lol

 

I too had both these issues:
- Many LCD bruises, I think from carrying my Z in my messenger bag, even in a case. It squashed the inner frame of the screen in to the LCD and made the marks. Here's a pic of mine
http://www.drhaider.com/images/vaioz.jpg
I uploaded it and gave the link in my ticket so they could see it was hardware issue.
- I also had a scratch from the palm rest ridge.
They replaced the screen and I'm now super careful with it. I bought one of the Radtech cloths that I cut to the perfect size. The screen never closes without it now.

If you want, I'll put your photo on my server and you can send them the link. Truthfully I would try to take a better photo though, showing the rest of the screen and edge.

 

I put my Z in the £100 Sony leather case. And then this goes inside a messenger bag. The case is actually pretty tough.
If that's the case I would buy a new briefcase with better protection than my messenger bag...
What is that RadTech cloth ? Is that just a microfibre cloth ?

 

Can you post a link? I'm still seeing the 590. Thanks.

 

I was using a slip case in a Crumpler bag with a well padded notebook compartment so I thought I was safe on my bike. It actually seems that the padding was doing more harm than good as it was actually increasing the overall pressure in the bag, hence pressing on the screen even more.
Since I have got the repaired Z back I have bought one of the Sony Smart Protection cases and have ditched to padded section in the bag. Now there is much less stuff in my bag and therefore less pressure. The screen is much more prone to sustained pressure, rather than knocks I think.
Also, I was using a sheet of thin foam between the screen and keyboard, but I have thought on hindsight that this would create more space in which the screen could be pressed into. I therefore bought the Radtech cloth, which is very similar to a microfibre but nicer. Also you can cut it an the edges don't fray. I found it impossible to find a microfibre the right size.

So far, so good. No new bruises and I've had it back for about 5 or 6 weeks.

I think the ideal would be a hard case which would prevent the screen being squashed. I have been unable to find this holy grail of cases.

 

I am VERY concerned about this problem. Has anyone tried this I know somebody mentioned it b4 so I book marked it. I too am using the piece of foam that came w/ the computer for now.

 

I got the smart protection bag for the SZ from ebay (brand new in sony retail box) for 25$ shipped. It is a very nice case and the Z fits in it nicely with just enough room for there to be no pressure on the screen. I would highly recommend it..

 

The Radtech cloth I use is essentially the same
http://www.radtech.us/Products/NotebookScreensavrz.aspx

Lets face it, they are only really protecting against the palm rest scratch. It's not going to do much for the LCD pressure bruises. To prevent them you must prevent the Z having the screen pressed in to the body, which is almost impossible if the notebook case is in a bag with other stuff in. The only thing that would be truly protective would be a hard case.

I do like my Sony Smart Protection case, but the sides are not rigid, only the front and back. Having rigid sides would help against squeezing.

 

Maybe this one would help

 

Wow! That's lovely. Is that a commercial product? Do you know if they would make one for the Z? I can only imagine is would be very expensive though.
It would certainly prevent the bruises.

 

As you can see under picture " Wooden Laptop Case with leather lining and magnetic closing device for Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro 15inch. For Purchases please contact Rainer Spehl."

So answer is....maybe

 

I think they should've thought little bit longer when designing the Z. What's the point of making it ultra-portable, when you have to use a case that makes it weigh as much as the laptop designed for rugged use. I am using the Smart Protection case combined with a Radtech cloth myself, and that adds weight and increases the overall size of my laptop. But I have little choice, as I've spent $2400 on my laptop, and rather deal with the extra weight/size now, than deal with the laptop getting messed up.

They definitely need to add bigger rubber soles to provide more space between the screen and the base. Further, they need to make the LCD housing as inflexible as possible, so the pressure is more evenly distributed if an object should knock it on top side.

 

So true. It took just about a month for my display to have a horizontal scrath line and you would think Sony would have tested this laptop for transportation. Obviously they haven't.
I find it frustrating that I have to be so careful with this laptop when I see Apple laptops that are better built to last.
I guess Sony targeted the lightweight + high performance market without practicality in mind...

BTW the case I use is the Sony VAIO VGP-CKZ2.

 

After hearing some of these complaints about scratches on the screen (what happened to the DuraView?) I'm wondering if I sould even keep it in a case in my bag. What I've got is a mid-size backpack which has a slot for a Platypus (a rectangular water bladder if you will) between my back and the main bag compartment. Anyway the Z fits perfectly into this slot w/o a case. I got my free neoprene case today and this makes it quite a tight fit. I'm wondering if I'd be better off w/o the case and nice fit or w/ the case and very snug fit.

 

Sorry in advance for the consecutive post.

In the Vaio Control Center there is an option for Battery Care Function.

The default was disabled but it says by enabling it you will prevent battery degradation. Do you guys have this enabled? If so, what are the advantages/disadvantages?

 

Disadvantage: battery only charges to 50% or 80% of maximum.

Advantage: may prolong battery life.

lithium ion batteries (such as in the Z) apparently store best at cold temperatures, and 70% charge. By not charging to 80% only, you're technically quite near to 70%, which should help.

However, the other thing is heat, and the battery may still become hot.

Ultimately, the -best- way to prolong battery life may be to charge to 80% *and* remove when at power supply but not charging, but this is inconveninent (removing battery) and means that your battery life will suffer (since your battery will never have 100% charge).

*shrug*

I use it when i'm going to be plugged in for a long time.

 

My experience would suggest the less snug the better. Also the more rigid the better, esp. on the screen side. If your bag is already quite full, I would probably forget the neoprene sleeve. If the bag is fairly empty I'd use it. I would also consider putting a hard sheet or something between the lid and the rest of the bag contents. In may case this is one of the sheets within the smart protection case. I'm not sure what you could use, maybe a thin plastic chopping board!
My Z got no knocks, but was kept very snug in lots of padding in my messenger bag and it trashed the screen (see my pic above). There was no rigid protection though in that case.
Now I have a new screen I put less in the bag overall and have the Smart Protection case. So far so good. I do cycle 6 miles to work, twice a day, about 3 days a week though, so mileage may vary as they say.

I agree that Sony have done a bad job here. It's sad.

 

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...splay?langId=-1&storeId=20153&catalogId=20153

left side - Z690

and thanks for buying it so you can return it afterwards i laughed at that hahaha =]

 

Xand has given you a comprehensive answer there. I personally don't use the function. I always want a full charge available and if the total capacity of my battery depletes a little over a year or 2, no big deal. I've been using notebooks with Li-ion cells for over 10 years and the effect of battery wear has never been more that about 5% (10% at most) over the 2 to 3 year life of the computer.

 

Cool. Thanks for your help guys. One thing that I'm noticing is that I'll be typing like I am right now and then when I go to touch the track pad, sometimes the page will jump backwards one or 2 spots. Like I was hitting the back arrow up on the top left corner. Then I have to go back and re-type my post all over again. One time I was being very careful cuz I had already typed the same post twice and it still happened. Anyone else notice this?

 

I have got the Sony leather protection case, the sides are actually quite tough and if that still allowed for the display to be damaged I am doubly disappointed.
Contacted Sony UK and they will collect my laptop early next week.
They better not tell me that "it's by design" or I will see red!
And I mentioned as well the poor quality of the paint on the hinge. It's starting to rub off a fair bit now and it will keep on getting worse as I don't see a way not to touch it.
Good luck for you guys who bought an pretty & expensive Z hoping to keep it that way...

Question to the wide audience: is there a laptop that is roughly the same specs as the Z and at the same time below 1.7kgs in case I get fed up with the poor quality ?

 

Did the SZ have these screen-related issues? I don't remember reading anything about transportation problems with the previous version.

 

Not sure about the SZ, the problem I think with the Z is that the screen is quite big and you really don't need much pressure for the screen to touch raised palmrest.
I had my first scratch after just a few weeks.

 

The SZ screen was much less flexible as far as I remember. The Z screen is far too flexible and that's the main reason for the pressure bruises and the palm rest scratches. My wife has a TZ with the same design screen. It doesn't suffer these problems as it's not as wide and hence is nowhere near as flexible. I find the Z screen feels fragile to open.

 

Wow. I'm on the fence between a used higher-end SZ and a new mid-range Z. But it sounds like these design issues on the Z have made up my mind for me. There's no way I'd deal with screen marks on a notebook this expensive.

 

I wonder how wide spread is this screen problem. Maybe it is a mishap in a particular patch. Anyway, I would think that Sony will correct it under warranty.

 

I will try to make some higher res pics of both the screen bruises and the scratch and post those here.
But I would say those issues are very likely if you do have to transport the laptop a lot.
I noticed that grabbing the laptop with just enough strength so that you can lift means the screen will touch the palmrest if you're lifting the laptop (say the thumb on the lid and other fingers under the laptop) from the front and not from the hinge end. I did it while looking it from the side and the gap was just a few mm.
Not sure how we are supposed to handle the laptop but I'd be really annoyed if Sony tells me I've been lifting the laptop "the wrong way"...


I forgot about the paint in the hinge looking pretty worn already.
Not impressed *at all* for a £2000 purchase.

 

i know this is an old thread... but anyone have any conclusions on this?

 

I haven't got any of these sort of problems with the screen on my Z (just the stuck pixel that I can't get rid of), but it hasn't had much use yet. I did notice yesterday though, when I closed the lid to move it while it was on, the right mouse button actually got pressed a few times through the lid while I was moving it, so it must be very flexible.

I don't know about anyone else, but I didn't have any issues with the screen on my SZ in a whole year of quite heavy usage.

 

Oh, I didn't realise anyone else had the same stuck pixel issue as me... I didn't go that far back in the thread. It's the same for me, this is my 4th VAIO (and the 6th that I've used), and I've also used several LCD monitors... and this is the first one that I've ever had with a stuck pixel. If I look closely at it, I can actually see the blue and green parts of the pixel that are stuck on I think, but no red.

I tried using JScreenFix (basically the same as UDPix I think)... but it had absolutely no effect. I also tried the pixel massage and pixel tapping stuff, which had no effect on it either, but I did notice something while doing that... when tapping on any LCD screen, you normally a white area around it for a few seconds after you let go... and that's the case on most of the screen on my Z, apart from the area around the stuck pixel... instead of just white, there is a strange pattern of different colours visible around that area... as in kind of fixed points of different colours etc, it doesn't change each time, but it's only visible just after tapping it... so you would have to tap several times around the whole area to see the whole thing. So I don't know, but I am guessing there is actually more damage/more of a defect in the manufacturing of the LCD panel than just the one pixel being stuck.

All of that tapping etc had no permanent effect at all though, it hasn't caused any more dead or stuck pixels and that pixel didn't unstick at any point at all, not even for a split second... and the other strange patterns are only visible just after tapping it.

 

Yah, I definitely have it... And I have at least three that are noticeable when the screen go's black.

But as I've said before, it's really not distracting during normal use. For example, right now I'm just surfing the web (espn, nbr, fantasy bball, woot, etc.) and I haven't noticed it at all. And when I play WoW, I never notice it.

It's just a shame that a high-end laptop like this, which has a great monitor, would have this problem.

And yah, I've tried massaging the pixel and using the stuck-pixel fixer... no help.

 

Is everyone hating their Z all of a sudden? Or are the happy owners just keeping away? LOL. I'm curious!

For those who aren't happy with their Z ... if you started all over again, would you go with a different notebook? (Sony SR or something non-Sony)

 

Although I needed to return the Z for a screen replacement I'm very happy with it. I would buy the same again. The extra care I need to take to protect the screen is tolerable. Since putting Win 7 on it I'm even more happy.

 

If I had to buy a new laptop now, I would not get another Z, no. Probably a Lenovo with a matte display, a BIOS where I can turn on virtualization, and which works with Linux without major problems.

 

I like the Z for the features and performance.
It's a unique proposition on the market.
But one has to look at other things beyond this and esthetiques and it's practicality.
I tell you some of my colleagues who own Apples smile when they see me carefully putting the laptop into the sleeve and then the messenger bag.
The Z definitely is like a little princess

 

Well I've actually never had any other make of laptop... so I think I'd be a bit scared to buy anything other than a VAIO

But now that I know it does actually have a 9600M GT graphics card (the specs I found at first said it was a 9300M GS), I think I might have gone for the LG P310... If it was actually available in the UK, which it seems it's not. No internal DVD drive in that, but I hardly ever use it anyway, so I'd rather have the more powerful graphics card really.

I think I would be happy enough with my Z if I could have got the 1366x768 screen with this model (or similar)... assuming that didn't have dodgy pixels too.

I am a little reassured by the fact that Sigma managed to get a screen replacement though, on a UK model... so hopefully I should be able to get the same if my screen gets any worse... or did it take a lot of hassle to get them to do something about it? (can't find any posts mentioning that bit)

 

It was actually surprisingly easy to get them to replace it. I did do the following though:
1. Gave them a link to a photo in the ticket so they could see the screen
2. Explained to the chap on the phone that the marks appeared after a few weeks and were gradually worsening. I truthfully told them I had protected the unit well
3. I put a letter in with the Z when it went in for repair, again stating the facts and that I had in no way manhandled the machine.

When I asked if it would be covered under warranty I was told that the engineers would look at the machine. If they felt it had been manhandled I would be charged for the repair. If I chose not to have it repaired I would have had to pay £120 (or so) to have it returned, to cover courier costs etc.

Once the unit had been picked up, there was no further questions. They just replaced the screen and returned the Z in tiptop condition. Took about 6 days. Very good service.

 

It will be interesting to compare the Z5xx to the Z6xx when it finally does come out. Who knows, maybe the delay is due to these keyboard/screen issues being reported here. I'd be interested in knowing if they added more protective rubber pads on the casing to prevent the LCD from contacting the keys. Although, I don't see how they'd add one to the middle of the keyboard, which is where it seems it's needed the most.

 

If they could strengthen the lid then it'd be fine.
My wife's got an Lenovo and the lid is nearly as thin as that one but is way way tougher.

 

Hrm, has anyone tried one of these?

I wonder if it might help protect the screen at least a little bit from these screen issues (at the very least it would surely help guard against the scratches caused by the palm rest?)

I do wonder about a few possible issues though. Including:
- How badly does this affect brightness/color rendition of the screen.
- How does it attach to the screen. If it is sticky then blah.. those are a pain to deal with (even the static based ones). If it is held in place by tabs (if you look close you can see tabs on the upper and lower edges of the filter), would these cause additional wear in those areas.

Anyway, just a thought (and a few musings).

- DH

 

Question to Z owners- I usually have my music playing in the background with Windows Media Player. Since we dont have any dedicated media keys,

1) Are there any Windows shortcuts that can skip between songs or pause/play tracks

2) Use S1 and S2 keys to assign media commands like Play/Pause and Skip forward

Thanks

 

When I went to assign my S1 and S2 keys I only had a handful of options and media keys where not one of them. I wonder if there is a way around this?

 

I am actually pretty happy to see that I am not the only one to have the palmrest scratches. For I second I was thinking I did something really wrong without noticing it...

I use the laptop in a semi-flexible bag, in the neoprene case and usually tucked between books or rigid elements. The bending issue is actually quite a bad design element. I suppose was a way to ensure people would not break the screen, but it obvioulsy create more problems... And I suspect Sony, because of the premium tag on the laptop would be ill advice not to get it fixed.

I will send mine for repair in a few weeks. If it turns out, Sony does not want to cover it through warranty that will be the last laptop I buy from them. It'll be back to Lenovo...

As for now, I religiously put back the protection sheet that came in the original package between the screen and the keyboard. I will continue to do that after it's fixed, but if marks reappear...

This said, the laptop is absoluetly fantastic. It's a shame that this issue comes to ruin it all. I can see one mark enough now for it to really annoy me. It stares at me...

Hell...

 

Reading all these issues of scratches on the screens made me think about Sony's marketing of the Vaio Z screens. So is Sony lying when it said that the Vaio Z's DuraView LED LCD screens are scratch-resistant?!?

 

It is actually quite possible that the laptop is scracth resistant if you used a key or something like that. Strictly speaking the palmrest issue is not a scratch, rather more than a presure/rubbing thing that does eventually alter the coating (although on the of these has become what I would call a scracth and is very visible. It seems on this one the actual coating has been whiped out)...

Everyone has heard these stories a people closing the lid of their laptops with a pen in it and destroying the thing... It seems the Z series would actually suffer major damage if you left a grain of sand...

 

Hello all,

In my Z520, once I click on back space key to erase something, it hangs for a while and it beeps , I guess that problem appears in my friend's Z540 too, Any idea whats behind that?

Thanks

 

I preordered a Dell Studio XPS 1340 but initial reports are mentioning it is way too hot, its power adapter is rather large and its build quality is subpar. Needless to say, I'm thinking of cancelling the order. I read about all these screen scratch problems on the Z which definitely turns me off to this model too; however, Best Buy is selling a Z610. Is this the 600 series you were mentioning? I'd be interested to know if this computer is the successor to the 500 series and has fixed the LCD scratching issue. Anyone know? Thanks.

Link to the computer is here: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9171521&type=product&id=1218043604946