Official VAIO Z Core 2 Duo Series Owners Thread

I can't open your link, so I can't comment it. My overall Vista rating is 4.4 on speed mode. But don't forget - Vista rating is a very simpler benchmark and states almost nothing.

What I'm saying is if you wish the best ssd performance you shouldn't take the Sony ssd. Otherwise the performance of the Sony raid is fast enough for 90 percent of the user.

 

I think SSD is just too expensive right now, any way you slice it.

The bigger issue is how fast prices are falling, I don't wanna buy a luxury piece of tech thats gonna be worth half as much as I paid for it in a couple of months.

 

try this link http://attach.mobile01.com/attach/200906/mobile01-22ac45b254cf49aebd4f428056333723.jpg

i heard intel is coming out with newer SSDs which would be cheaper this year.

 

Yea, I read about that, supposedly they'll be as fast/faster but cheaper. Then again, everything gets cheaper later this year...and every year

 

Of course SSDs will only become cheaper and faster as time passes, everyone knows that.

@Visioneer I was almost set on getting the Z790 with 2x64GB SSD, but your benchmarks worry me. I thought Sony's setup was some of the faster setups you could achieve in a laptop. It makes me wonder if I should just get the Z with a cheap HDD and replace it with something like Corsair's 128GB SSD myself. Now, I have built more computers than I could ever remember so I am not afraid of the installation process, but I have heard it's difficult and timeconsuming, so it would be very nice not to have to deal with it. Second, I understand it voids warranty. Does this mean that if I get extended ADH warranty with the machine extra, this will be completely voided too? If so, swapping the drive is not an option.

All input on this matter is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

same here. i was set for purchase but his post is making me think twice. it's a lot of $$$ to shell out for something that would drop in price almost 1 month later

 

Some of the lids can be bought through Sony Spare Parts department.

Regular Black:
http://servicesales.sel.sony.com/ec...earchOperation=modelSearch&searchText=vgnz790

Premium Carbon Fiber:
http://servicesales.sel.sony.com/ec...earchOperation=modelSearch&searchText=vgnz790

Bordeaux Red:
http://servicesales.sel.sony.com/ec...earchOperation=modelSearch&searchText=vgnz790

Shadow Border:
http://servicesales.sel.sony.com/ec...earchOperation=modelSearch&searchText=vgnz790

Another one below that I'm not sure of:
http://servicesales.sel.sony.com/ec...earchOperation=modelSearch&searchText=vgnz690

Didn't you get the Productivity bundle (which comes with the BT mouse)? Or did you get the Mobility bundle?

 

What do u mean u get loads of crap for owning a vaio??
Do ppl not like vaios?

 

Can anyone confirm this, or is it just how aamsel thinks it should be?

 

Is this still the best guide on here for disassembling the Z to replace the harddrive?:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=272690&page=90

I am really debating whether I should get a cheaper Z and install an aftermarket SSD myself. Had the 2x64GB SSDs Sony uses been very fast I would not have hesitated. It just seems like an awful lot of money for a only decent performing setup. What do you guys think?

Will it definitely void warranty, or is that just an assumption users here make? If I ever have to send it in for repair after having replaced the harddrive, can I not carefully put the original drive back in and send it in? IsamuX states in his guide I linked to above that he did not encounter any warranty voiding stickers or similar.

Thanks for all advice!

 

i think i might go for the standard version of the 2.8ghz setup, 6gb ram, 320gb hdd. i wonder if the price for the SSD will drop significantly soon.

looking for the same feedback as well

 

Hey guys quick question... Seeing as i've never had a bluetooth equipped computer does that mean i can hook up my G1? and my headsets along with mice all at the same time and use them and whatnot?

Also when I get the Z, i do plan on tethering my G1 to it.

 

Hey guys. Quite exciting - I've decided to get the new Vaio (Z45 in UK). Before I pull the trigger, I'd really appreciate any final thoughts you have on my choice.

I'm getting this:

Finishes: Premium Carbon
Processor: Intel® Core(TM)2 Duo 2.80 GHz
Hard drive: 320 GB Serial ATA (5400 rpm)
Memory: 4 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM
Optical Drive: DVD disc drive
Security features: Fingerprint and TPM
Operating system: Vista® Business - (64 bit)
Standard battery
Cost: £2000 [=$3270]

The cost is quite disgusting given how much cheaper it works out in the US/Canada, but that's the price of living in the UK I guess.

Anyway, I have a few questions before shelling out my cash, so any help would be greatly appreciated:

1) Is the processor I picked worth the extra £120 above the 2.53 GHz? I don't plan to do too much processor intensive work with it, just want it to be fairly snappy in day-to-day apps. Similarly, would it be worth paying an extra £130 to get the 3.06 GHz processor? I don't want it getting too hot for no real gain. I picked the 2.8 GHz as a compromise.

2) I plan to upgrade to SSD when prices fall to more realistic levels over the next 2 years. Is the HDD going to be a serious bottleneck for now? Also, I noticed that the US/Canada seem to get 7200 rpm compared to the UK 5400 rpm. Is this a sony website mistake or are we Brits being screwed yet again?

3) I can't really decide between the "black" and the "premium CF" lid. As far as I can tell, they're both MADE of carbon fibre; it's just the colouring that's different, right? Can you link me to large pics comparing the two? Sony's website has crappy, tiny pics!

4) Don't really care about gaming too much, but I'd like to be able to play the odd Civ4 game and the like (nothing too cutting-edge). Will this be possible?

5) I've read a lot of this forum, about the battery drain, squeaky palm rest, possible screen scratching etc but nothing seems to be a show-stopper. Any other major issues I should be aware of with the Z before spending more than a months' wages on it?

6) Anyone order from sony style UK before? If so, does it really take 4-5 weeks to come? That would be terrible!

7) Finally, do you think it's a good deal or should I wait until the Z45 is more widely available through cheaper channels?


Thanks in advance if you can answer any of these questions. I know I'm asking a lot but it is a LOT of money and I want to make sure I'm not going in with doubts. Thanks again, kavb.

 

hi
can you please advise
Got Z21(european) with 1600*900 screen, already increased dpi size to 106 dpi, but still has problem with small texts in applications.
Biggest problem is browsers(any). I can increase scale to 110 or 120% but at this scale all images become larger too with the big distortion. Maybe it is some solution for that thing? because fonts are really small for me.
Thanks in advance.
Sorry for my English.

 

Thanks for the links! Something to consider. I do wish someone would take note and start selling the exclusive ones on eBay or something. Then again, I wish they were cheaper too. LOL.

I ordered my Z with the extended battery and then got the mobility bundle for the regular battery, that had been my plan all along. It's been somewhat handy, to cap the regular battery at 80% and use it when plugged in ... and to take the fully charged large battery when I'll use it without plugging in for hours. I've come to also like the slant that the large battery adds.

I've experienced loads of hate towards Vaios here. People see it and like to go right into what crap Vaios are, how expensive they are, blah blah blah. I really don't care either way how others view the Vaios in general, though.

Do a search on the forum, there are lots of pics and posts comparing the two. And yes, both are carbon fibre, they're just a different finish really. Personal preference as to which you want.

 

Don't aim at me...

I hardly doubt it... the 2.53Ghz has a TDP of 25W. The 2.8 and 3.06Ghz have one of 28W. So they consume more energy and produce more heat. If you use office applications, you will see no difference... just less battery life. For games: In this settings the GPU is the limiting factor - no doubt. You will not gain anything but more heat with the higher clocking CPUs. They only make sense in a desktop setting (docking station).

Certainly the SSD are faster. But so much more expensive. Again, if you do office work mainly, I doubt that you will really care about 0-5 seconds longer loading times (despite booting times...). I am planing on replacing it if the price drops to HDD levels. Is it a bottle neck, most likely... but one you will not care too much if you have to pay 400$ more to get less capacity - my opinion.

So many alread postet in this forum... just use the search function. I went with PCF... it looks just better

It will...

No, these are it... and I am pretty sure that besides the battery drain, the other issues are very much based on single experiences... (Forums have the tendency to gather negative experiences)

It probably does... they are just realistic... though, most reports I know say, it is shipped quicker than expected.

A terrible deal to be honest... but you pay the price for quality, style and small size...
Edit: I really think that 2000BPs are a bit much... I pay 2000€ for almost the same config...

 

Not trying to be discouraging or anything. Z is simply the best all around laptop at this size and weight. I've spending quite a bit of time with my Z (it's on around 12-15 hours pretty much everyday ever since I got it in February). I use it at school and at my apartment as a desktop replacement, so I rarely puts it in sleep even when I'm away from my laptop.

However, I have to say that those issues with the Z do exist. They may not be as rare as you may like to think. Squeaking palmrest? I haven't encountered this yet (knock on wood ). Z is a very well build machine, you shouldn't be getting squeaky palmrest if you haven't open it up to change the harddrive or other components. It's not the build quality that it sometimes suffers from, it is the material/component used. The screen WILL scratch sooner or later if you don't use a cloth of some kind (microfiber or leather) between the keyboard and the screen when carrying it around, especially when there are other heavy objects in the same bag. I love the coating on the screen, the hard semi-matte glossy screen is the best scratch resistant screen I've seen, but it still does scratch, given that it's a lot harder to get scratched. In extreme cases, I've seen someone getting screen bruises. Fortunately, I've been carrying the Z in the laptop compartment of my Wenger backpack with a piece of RADTECH cloth with 6,7 lb textbooks for quite some time and have yet to see any scratches or bruise marks.

The cylindrical hinge feels a little plastcy, but no one has had any problem with it yet, at least not on this forum. There has only been one reporting of cracking on a Taiwanese forum (it's probably just a defect).

Some people also seem to be having minor problems with the keyboard. IMO, the double typing issue is not very wide spread, I don't have a problem with it. However, my backspace does get squeaky from time to time, it is slightly annoying.

Those are just some of my opinions with the Z. I love it very much, and would not exchange it for any other laptops. We all know that no laptop is perfect. The dell XPS 1330 gets scratched up much easier than the Z. My friend's 6 month dell looks more like 2 year old to me... My minor complaints about the Z can be easily prevented with certain care. I just don't feel comfortable treating it like I do to the Thinkpad T60.

 

Slightly off topic (to Vaio Z notebooks) & I apologize.

InspecterJones, how long did it take for you to receive a response from "Sony Listens" based on your experience?

 

I have had my Z520 for quite a while now and it has been great!

Is it as good in terms of build quality/premium material fit and finish as previous VAIO's? No... Not by a lot.

It has withstood major abuse by my kids and it is still scratch free

But the system has run flawless and I will say it is the best 13" pc you can buy, IMO.

Anyone who is thinking of getting one I am sure you'll be more than happy with it

 

I'm not a lawyer so I can't comment it, but my service point told me rougly the same. Open the Z and replace the HDD is, I would say, a little bit tricky. Not difficult, but you have to be patient.

Honestly, in your situation (ADH warranty) I'd go with Sony. The price difference Corsait/Sony isn't huge as 6 month ago.

 

sorry to be an buy that configuration is expensive as hell. i can get that price here in Asia for much less. http://www.mobile01.com/print.php?f=258&t=1081481&p=1&v=12346026 shows that the price is 74800NT which is equal to about 2250USD.

 

Nope (same as Jorlin's answer). You'll get much more performance increase for your cash by upgrading to a 7200 RPM Hard Drive. Unless you're planning on doing some serious and continuous number crunching (like calculation the last position of pi), the lowest available processor will still be more than you need.

Similar answer as to #1. I'd suggest getting a 7200 RPM drive for now. I play all sorts of games on mine (note configuration below), include Bioshock, Serious Sam, Quake Wars, Doom 3, etc and it runs great frame rates (perfectly smooth).

Correct; both are carbon fiber, the premium one just has a special finish. Some like it, some don't. It will mean you'll have to take more care of the lid if you opt for the premium lid, though - either for fingerprint removal or to protect it from scratching.

That, and much more.

I don't know about the 790 CTO, but my 690 doesn't have a squeaky palm reset. The screen is also easily protected with a microfiber laid over the keyboard and palm rest (something I'd do anyway).

I don't know about delivery times in the UK, but in the US the delivery estimates are habitually (and intentionally) over stated to pleasantly surprise (or at least avoid disappointing) as many customers as possible. Hopefully, you'll have a similar experience.

Congratulations on deciding to buy a Z...I think you'll really like it a lot.

 

Actually, neither lid is actually carbon fibre -- both are plastic containing small amounts of chopped up recycled carbon fibre for the visual effect when light strikes it at certain angles.
Real carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) would have a carbon fibre cloth embedded -- these lids don't.

 

That seems like a crazy amount of money. Why not just buy in states and ship it to you? Might have to go through a 3rd party but who cares.

If I remember right they called me a couple of days after the email, but it was a while ago so I don't really remember. Also, keep in mind its July 4th weekend, they might have time off or something. I'm sure you'll get a response one way or another eventually.

 

Foreword: I make one more try with my questions below. I'm sorry for posting two times, but my original post got zero responses. I think the answers may be hidden in this thread, but by searching for "downgrade", "XP" etc within this thread I did not find the information I'm looking for. Also this thread is approaching 900 pages (!) and I can hardly read the entire thread. Anyway, I'm sorry for posting the same questions twice, but here are my questions:

I want to buy a Vaio Z92 YS/DS/JS, Japanese model.
I live in Japan.
I want to convert it to English Vista and unrelated and in addition, I would like to downgrade to english XP if possible. I think there are three approaches:

Approach 1: Upgrade to Ultimate and then switch the UI to English.
Possible cons: The guy at the shop (Yodobashi) told me that this does not actually convert the full functionality, including all texts within all drivers etc to English. And I think this is probably true. Because let's say I even if I upgrade to Ultimate and switch the UI to English, the Vaio Power Management settings (just as one of many, many examples) might not be in English anyway. Because if the Power Management driver does not contain the English text, then switching the UI can obviously not make the texts be in English, either.

2. Do a fresh, clean install of Vista, then install all the drivers.
(this is probably the route I'm going to take)
Possible cons: I tried this procedure with various Vaio's in the past with mixed results. Finding the english drivers was sometimes very difficult. Also I never got the full functionality working, including all Vaio-specific drivers (Power Management, S1 buttons, Sound (!) was especially difficult with a previous Japanese SZ Vaio), only an approximation.

3. Do a fresh, clean install of Vista, then install all the drivers.
Cons: I dont't know if english drivers for the Vaio Z which would actually work under XP even exist.

I would be very thankful for your experiences and comments regarding the americanization of a Japanese Vaio Z, especially regarding the driver issues. Has anyone successfully or unsuccessfully americanized a Vaio Z92? What is a good place to download working drivers? Is a downgrade to XP possible/advisable? Thanks!

 

Just one thought regarding SSD:

Yesterday I read a review (German) that compared the performance of SSDs and HDD in a realistic setting. Besides the lower power consumption (which already is very low in laptop HDDs) and less noise, the performance difference were not striking at all. Certainly it is true that SSDs are faster. But in an everyday setting, you only experience these advantages when transferring huge amounts of data or booting your OS. If you play games, you might also see differences in loading times.

For normal office work, photo editing ect. there are not real noticeable differences. If "word" takes a second longer to load, you probably would not bother at all…
In addition to that, there are significant differences in brands of SSDs. So to be happy, you really need to get an Intel SSD. If the current price justifies the benefit, is more than questionable…

One last thought:
If you use the fast memory stick for "ready boost" (and the Z offers a HCSD card slot), you can actually enhance the snappiness of your OS quite a bit for often used applications.
So when considering a HDD you are even fine with a 5400RPM model, if you stick with office applications… and it is less power consuming as well and less noisy.

 

I thought Vista will partition in such a way that you don't need to realign.
IIRC XP will have 32KB minus 512 bytes, and Vista 1MB. The minus 512 bytes is the cause for the performance drop.

Aligning your partitions on 32KB multiples is a good thing for any SSD. At least, that's what I've seen so far.

 

This is not necessarily true. Especially not in low CPU load scenarios. The 25W and 28W are max values. When idling, they will use far less than that. And faster CPU's will drop back to idle quicker than slow ones (in low CPU load scenarios).

 

As far as I know, the mobile C2D come with enhanced speed step technology. Therefore, a low CPU load should not cause the CPU to run at "full capacity". This will ultimately result in lower power consumption in both settings.
If you have normal office applications, I doubt that it makes a major difference. If the CPU load exceeds a certain level, you would still assume that with each "step" the power consumption in a higher ranking CPU is higher than in the lower ranking one.
You can still argue that a quicker CPU will be quicker with finishing the task. But this might not be necessarily true for low CPU load and therefore a reduced clock speed.
In general, the ratio between the gain of speed and power consumption becomes worse the higher a CPU clocks. So in general one would assume that the average power consumption of a higher clocking CPU is higher than a lower clocking CPU. That probably is the reason why there are still single core and low clocking CPUs out there…
(I know, the last sentence is not really valid regarding the topic.)

 

OK guys thanks very, very much for taking the time to respond. Jorlin and FrinkTL in particular.

After your advice, I've decided to go with the 2.53GHz processor and "black" lid - these bring the cost down to £1870. This is still much higher than other countries, but that's often the case in the UK I will probably move to SSD at some point in the next two years and increase the RAM too - should be enough to keep this laptop usable for 4+ years. In that context, I think the price is worth it for me.

InspectorJones - I looked into importing from the US but decided against it. The cost saving is good, but then there's the worry of no international warranty, worrying that the 3rd party mail forwarding service will screw-up/steal it, import duties, new AC adapter, US keyboard and OS, Windows 7 upgrade complications etc. It's a lot of money, but if anything goes wrong here at least I can just walk to the Sony Store 5 mins down the road!

Anyway, thanks again for your help. I'm going to order it later today so if you have any more pearls of wisdom please do share ASAP! I can't wait

 

Thanks for the kudos and congrats to you!

I am still waiting... Just got an email yesterday that the notebook went into production and the estimated delivery date is between July the 10th and 15th... cannot wait

 

kavb if you call Sony to place your order they may give you up to 5% of if you ask for some kind of incentive to buy. That may well off set some of the cost if you do want to go for the faster processor.
I think what your paying is too much. That middle has jumped up by about £200.

If i was to get one it would be likely that i get one at the airport to get it tax free.

Anyway, i hope that your pleased with it.

 

Man i love this thread... watch my luck when i send in my order on the 27th, something will happen. Either new models will be announced, or Sony will blow up... something... Lol...

BTW. can someone post the link to the most current rebate form? (The productivity bundles and whatnot)

 

There's also the option of purchasing a U.S.A. made Z so that you get the full benefits of a true english-speaking Z.
Were you also worried about the warranty issues and the fear it may be damaged along the way?

 

Just ordered it Can't wait for it to come now!

Again, lots of thanks for your help Jorlin and FrinkTL - you really helped me decide the specs.

And Rachel: HUGE thanks - I called up and managed to wrangle a 5% discount out of them. Would never have thought to call up if it weren't for your post!

Thanks to this wonderful board I've managed to save around 200 pounds on this lovely laptop. You guys are great - I'll definitely stick around when my laptop gets here to learn how to get the most out of it.

Interesting side-note: The total cost of the laptop came to 1776 pounds in the end - nice coincidence given it's 4th July, no?

Right - now to order a sleeve and a messenger bag for this beauty!

 

Thank you for your comment. Yes, there are "Overseas Models" versions of the Z available, but not in the configuration which I want (and also ridiculously overpriced). They do come with an international warranty, but as I live in Japan I don't need such a warranty. So if it is possible to Jap->En convert a Vaio Z, I rather try that. But thanks for the comment.

 

Congrats... and a big LOL for that N°. I just do not get why YOU are happy... aren't you British... LOL

 

Thank you very much for your help Visioneer. I highly appreciate it.

 

New rebate for purchases between July 1, 2009 and September 30, 2009:

http://b2b.sony.com/Solutions/lpage.do?page=/vaio_smb/index.html&name=VAIO SMB#sofs

Good luck.

 

Thanks for the information again. I appreciate it. Hope they'll at least bother to reply to my email.

 

Kavb:

Incidentally, that price is also much higher in Australia, where the base model is 2800 US including GST tax (I'm presuming your cost includes VAT?). Don't feel like you're getting screwed over too much! I am always happily surprised at the price difference in electronics I travel to the states. Still, 1870 pounds is around 2600 US dollars. Remember, the list prices you see for the US models do NOT include the sales tax, which can bump up the price around 10%, so the real difference may only be 400-500 dollars (I know, it is still a lot...but you win some you lose some). Congrats on ordering your Z!!

 

Can anyone tell me which software comes with the Z?
Does Sony include any "special" system integrated software? I read something about presentation stuff or so for business people... but I cannot find a description really. Does anyone have a link?

 

thanks. quick question about the rebate. it's for american version only right?

also i read that you got rebate rejected. what was the reason? how hard is it to get the rebate? CTO version okay?

 

How's the bluetooth mouse that comes with the promotional rebate thing?

Is it as good as the Logitech VX Nano?

 

Hi All

I'm a current SZ (480) owner. I reckon it's about time for me to upgrade. I love the SZ, but since the Z seems to have taken its place, it is the natural choice for me (just can't think of getting a laptop that isn't made of carbon fibre and aluminium, and has a very, very thin display/lid).

Anyway, there are a couple of things that have always bothered me about my SZ, so I was hoping to get some feedback on whether these will be issues for me with a new Z (probably the Z750D/B):

1. My SZ battery recharges very slowly. I think it takes about 2.5 hours just to get up to 80%, and well over 3 hours to get to 100% (so, essentially, every minute of recharging equals about a minute of runtime). I have two batteries and the double battery charger "stick" (using which you can recharge two batteries simultaneously) and this has been an issue from day one. I am using only standard capacity batteries... (The issue also occurs if I charge only one battery at a time, or charge my battery via my SZ) How long does it take to recharge a fully depleted Z battery?

2. The SZ, while it has great sound quality, lacks volume when outputting to earphones. My brother, who has an SZ-791N also complains about the same problem. How is the sound output level out of the Z (when using ear-/headphones) - does it get very loud?

Also, I know there have been lots of people who have upgraded their hard drives, but has anyone put in an Intel SSD (X25-M)? Did it fit okay (height-wise)? I've already got an OCZ SSD (SLC) in my SZ and I'm thinking of putting the Intel SSD in my Z

Thanks!

 

I have put in Corsair S128 which works fabulously inside Vaio Z. I also already ordered X25-M 160GB which should be coming in a week or two.

 

I just read the manual for the Vaio Z.

It says that the memory card slots (MS + SD) do not support high speed transfer rates...
So I wonder if "ready boost" works well. And if it does which memory card I should get...
Is there a difference between MS and SD card. I will have 4GB or RAM so I wonder which size I should get.

BTW: I am going to install Windows 7 RC as soon as I get the laptop.

Thanks in advance!

 

I read somewhere that ready boost hardly adds anything at all with 4GB RAM. I think it would be better to put in a fast SSD drive for better performance and use the MS and SD slots to compensate for the lost storage capacity.

 

SSDs are still way to expensive in my opinion. I have a MS and some SD-Cards at home. I will just try those. Though the maximum capacity is 2GB.

 

Looking for a bit of information, so the Stick AC Adapter has the ability to charge the laptop and an additional battery at the same time? If so how does this work? (i.e. the battery plugs into the stick as if it were a laptop?)