Official VAIO Z Core 2 Duo Series Owners Thread

I was thinking about it , going to do some calculations with the toll-fee and such. Allthough it feels safer to buy it here in Sweden when it comes to warranty and such.

And you only buy a computer every 2-3 years so when you think about it that way it doesn't really hurt that much

And I thought it would cost about $5000 here and was considering it anyways, seems like the perfect machine for me. I have waited a long time for a 13" to come with high resolution.

 

I've looked at this baby for a while now, and I have considered buying a larger battery with it.

But does the 9cell battery stick out in the back of the laptop? Like the Dell M1330 and several other laptops, of the smaller sizes.

 

I have also my self considered buying one from Sweden, but the price is way higher than in the US. I live in Denmark and the problem with that is, that taxes and so on are extremely high.

Though, I do have two options at the moment. I could wait till December, where I'm going to CA in the USA, and buy it there.
Or I could get some friends from the US to send it as a personal gift for me, and in that way, maybe avoid taxes.

 

Regarding the 1600x900 vs. 1366x768, PhilFlow is correct - 1366x768 is better for gaming. No matter how much memory the GeForce 9300m card has, it just doesn't have the processing power to run most games at 1600x900. Running games at lower resolutions will always give you better frame rates, but the difference will be especially significant on slower cards like the 9300m when running modern games. Keep in mind that people who have played with the 1600x900 Sony Z on display have said that it doesn't seem to have a 1366x768 display option - this might mean you'll be stuck with the native resolution for games unless you want to change to a non 16:9 res, which would look bad obviously.

However, if the tiny text on the 1600x900 works for you, then there's certainly no denying that it will give you much more desktop space (but if you have to upscale the text then you'll lose the extra space obviously, which defeats the purpose, although the high res screen would allow you to customize the text size as you like [depending on how well Vista's DPI scaling works, I guess]).

 

Rizzobox and playmate, another option would be to import it from Germany.

Especially if you're living in Denmark it seems very easy. Some German resellers even install different keyboards on request like Notebook.de.

Price in germany for the 1600*900, 2.24GHz, 4GB is 2021,- euro.
http://geizhals.at/deutschland/a351791.html

 

Importing is interesting, but do you know how it would work with warranty and such? If it breaks down, how much more of a hassle and waiting time would it cost me?

 

DId I mention im 22!!!!!

 

Well if your Z breaks down you would have to send it to Sony in the original country where you bought it.

So if bought in Sweden you'd send it to Sony Sweden. etc.

But in Germany they sell VOS. Which might work in Sweden too, not sure though.

 

Germany could be an alright alternative to the US-solution.

 

Hmm... if games do not allow you to scale graphics down in the 16*9 ratio, then many newer games (Crysis, CoD4, etc.) will anyway have a problem since they can only be played at the lowest resolution (something on the order of 800*600). Are you sure this is the case, though? Game resolution options are determined by the game, not by windows (I'm not 100% sure), so if a game can do 1600*900 I'm sure it can do other 16*9 resolutions... can windows not do other 16*9 resolutions?

 

Here's a photo of the 9-cell extended battery. As you can tell it doesn't stick out, but it does stick downward giving it some lift like you see with some adjustable desktop keyboards where you can adjust the height (from the rear). I think it was smartly planned & intentionally designed this way for that same purpose.
View attachment 21886

 

What is this thing right next to the trackpad?
It can be found on all Japanese Z models:

 

It's FeliCa http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3773
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FeliCa

 

Best explanation yet on the 1600*900 vs 1366*768 issue!

To other students like me, you can just connect the Z to an external monitor to expand your workspace when you are in your dorm room surfing the internet or writing your term paper.

I was wondering about it too. I thought the Japanese Z has a secret function that other Z's don't have.

Thanks for the info.

 

1370 MB + 128 dedicated graphic RAM = 1498 MB which roughly equal to the 1500 MB available graphics memory for the higher resolution Z.

That's only true when you have 4 gb of RAM.

 

Are you saying 128MB instead of 126MB?

 

Thanks a lot guys... it looks like ill be going for the lower res screen... i dont think i really NEED the high res one...

 

if i get the higher end version, cant i run the games @1366x768 ?

even if i change the native resolution of the desktop to 1366x768?

 

Yep. Thanks for the correction!

 

I don't see why you can't. But it may not look at good as when it's running on 1366*768 native like PhilFlow mentioned earlier.

Anyone else wants to comment on the issue?

 

(F.Y.I.) I just got back from the Sony Store, my 3rd visit, and I noticed something different on this visit that I hadn't prior. After using MS Word on the Z, I noticed my palms extending beyond the palmrest. I think some of you will have this same problem if you rely on the palmrest for extended periods of typing (if at all, a problem for some of you). So plan on using a table or your lap to rest your palms.

And I verified that the Z on display (1600x900) is Made in Japan. And the text was very small.

 

I finally got to see the Z at my SonyStyle store a few hours back, which had a 1600x900 display. I actually at first thought it was the 1366x768 display, I must be very used to the high DPI on my TZ's screen.

Its screen completely blew away the SR and FW next to it, in color reproduction at least. Even the AR's colors looked horrible next to the Z. Only the TZ was comparable, but both weren't side-by-side for me to really compare.

If you place the Z's screen next to your laptop's screen, your going to feel some sadness.

I also really liked the durable, sort of matte finish on the Z's screen. It was much more resistant to my fingerprints than the other notebook's screens.

It really isn't that much bigger than the TZ but I did notice its quite thicker of course, it surprised me since I am used to the thinness of my TZ.

Now I can probably never buy the SR, FW or really any other notebook aside from the Z and the next TZ after seeing its fantastic color reproduction. Thats one thing that warrants the higher prices on these notebooks.

 

well yea the extra nice screen is nice..if you have 800+ dollars to spare!!! (compared to 1,300 $ SR on newegg, where the Z with that res. is ~2,100 starting)

 

I also saw the SR and there definitely is a placeholder for an HDMI port next to the VGA port. They either wanted to implement it or couldn't or probably didn't want to hurt sales of the Z. You want HDMI in their portable laptop, you have to pay a pretty penny. I hope they can add it in a SR refresh, they must since the room is there for it.

Your right, I can barely afford the lowest end Z when its released, so if I buy it, I'd pretty much have to stick to the 1366x768 resolution on the 13" screen when I'm used to that resolution on my 11" TZ.

 

In respect to recording High-Def T.V. programs to your notebook, I think TiVo is the only way to record Hi-Def Programs. Blu-Ray DVD Players are only formatted to play commercial bought Blu-ray Movies and don't have the ability to record hi-def onto BD-RE (rewritables). I'm debating on getting the Z with Blu-Ray so my question is:

1. Is the media to record Hi-Def T.V. Programs BD-RE/R's if I decide to use the Z as a recorder to record programs?

I've seen software in stores that will allow you to record t.v. programs directly to your notebook, but from what I understand, a notebook does not act like a typical dvd/vcr recorder where it can be turned on/off by simply activating a TIMER per program. I was told that if you use your notebook as a VCR/DVD Recorder you need to be home to physically turn ON your notebook and turn it OFF for every program you want it to record, or you can elect to keep your notebook "ON" the entire time your away, which I think is ridiculous.

2. Is this true? Because if it is true, I might as well be home to watch the program. And besides can you imagine your notebook "ON" if you decide to go out of town for a couple days?

3. Now, I'm questioning something Soundsgood mentioned back earlier and that's if you can even play Hi-Def/Blu Ray movies that are backed up into the internal and/or external hard drive?

Does anyone know the answers to these 3 questions; THANKS? Since I travel quite a bit for work, I thought this would be a nice feature and option to movies; to catch up on programs while on the road rather than watching them all at home.

How impressed were you overall when you saw the Z? Are you anxious to get your hands on one after seeing it? The reason being, I just wanted to see someone else's opinion of it at first sight. When I first saw the Z, I expected more from it due to the hype, though it is a very very nicely design notebook, it didn't spark me as it did the Premium SZ Carbon. Just curious to know.....

 

I just got a chance to see the Sony Vaio Z in person today (SF Metreon SonyStyle), so here's my mini "review" (sorry I only had a few minutes to look it over, so I wasn't as thorough as I would have liked to be):

- The 1600x900 screen text was very tiny, but to my surprise it was extremely sharp and clear - not at all difficult or even slightly straining on my eyes to read (even at full outstretched arms length)! Maybe it was because the screen contrast and color quality was so good, but all I know is that reading standard sized text at 1600x900 was very comfortable for me to read (although everybody's eyesight is different, so be sure to check it out for yourself before making any judgment!)

- I didn't spend too much time comparing screen quality, but the Z seemed to have excellent contrast, color reproduction, and brightness (definitely better than my current 17" HP!). What I thought was interesting was that even at low brightness settings, there still appeared to be a high level of contrast, unlike my current laptop which gets washed out at lower light settings.

- The amount of desktop space at 1600x900 is amazing. If the text isn't too small for you, you should seriously consider getting the high res version if you do a lot of word processing / web reading / programming / etc. After seeing 1600x900 in person, I doubt I'd be happy compromising with 1366x768 now

- Viewing angles appeared to be very very good - I didn't notice any color inversion at any angles, although I didn't focus on this too much either so I may have missed something. There was some shift in colors/brightness at vertical angles, but not drastic at all. Horizontal viewing angles seemed almost perfect to 180 degrees.

- The screen does not fold back as far as the SZ. The SZ screen can be folded back beyond 180 degrees, while the hinge design on the Z only allows it to be folded back about 160 degrees. This seemed more than enough for me, although it's still worth mentioning.

- Looking at pictures of the Z, I mentioned earlier that the only "vents" on the bottom were some slits under the RAM panel. Looking at these in real life, I noticed that they're not actually open slits - they appear to have a heavy (dense) foam dust filter under them to avoid sucking up any dust.

- The laptop seemed to run very cool - at least it didn't even occur to me to check heat levels. The exhaust on the side was warm but not hot, and the machine if anything ranged from cool to slightly warm (not noticeably warm to the touch).

- The carbon fiber is slightly "sparkley" as noted by other posters, and is almost completely finger print proof. Also, the entire underside of the Z was also carbon fiber ( not just the screen case), except for the RAM panel, which I think was just sturdy plastic. The brushed aluminum keyboard back is very nice and is also very resistant to fingerprints. The screen does flex noticeably if you consciously test it, due to it's extreme thin-ness no doubt, but if you open or close it by a corner, the amount of flexing is minimal (certainly nothing to worry about).

- The touchpad buttons seemed completely fine to me, and the mouse buttons felt better & quieter than my 17" HP at least. I didn't notice any problems with my thumbs slipping off the buttons as some have reported.

- The keyboard on the Z feels very good. Definitely full pitch . Travel feels just right, response is very nice, and the spacing between the keys makes it much better than the SR keyboard in my opinion. Feels very good to type on, and I immediately started liking typing on it. The only thing I noticed (style-wise) was that they keys were gray in color, similar in tone to the aluminum backing. Personally I would have preferred black keys on the gray aluminum, but otherwise it was perfect. Also the palmrests seemed fine - not too small for me at least (and my hands aren't particularly small).

- I did notice some slight flex in the center of the aluminum backing, but not enough to worry about I don't think. The keys themselves didn't seem to have any flex problems although I'm a soft typer and probably wouldn't notice any if it was there.

- As it has been said many times, the Z is amazingly light. Compared to the SR the weight difference is definitely noticeable, and feels considerably more comfortable to carry in your hands. It can easily be picked up from the corner with one hand while opened and carried around. Very light.

- The screen size actually didn't strike me at all as being small. Compared to the SR there is definitely some lost height, but when you're using it, at least with the 1600x900 screen, it didn't even occur to me that it was smaller.

Overall, the SR didn't particularly impress me (although it still seemed like a very nice laptop), but the Z is just amazing. I don't know about you, but it's the perfect laptop for me . I only hope I can afford the 1600x900 version (and I wish there were more preconfigured models with this screen resolution [under $3000, preferably ]).

You might, but if there's something in the video drivers that don't list 1366x768 as a resolution option by default, you may not be able to select it in some games, although you could possibly "hack" around this in some games by editing config files and typing in whatever resolution you want if you know what you're doing (provided the drivers can handle 1366x768 on a 1600x900 screen at all [it should though]).

 

I QQ at night because I cannot afford the Z.

 

I am kind of confused, so are the screens actually different for the 1366x768 and the 1600x900 ?

 

Does anyone know if there's a Z on display in London?

Sony Galleria on Tottenham Court Road?

Or when they're going to get one?

Cheers,

S

 

@ ac500;

Thanks for your review! I have been to my local store two times now (though they haven't got any Z there yet) to compare the TX and the SZ. Each time I felt, well, the 1600x900 Z won't hurt my eyes, so I'll get it. But then, once I returned home I started doubting again... Did I make the correct judgement? Now with your review I'm sure I'll get the 1600x900 . I fully agree, on Sony screens 140dpi is definitely not a problem!

Concerning this question; good news: they will! http://b2b.sony.com/Solutions/product/VGN-Z590UCB will probably the one I'll be getting! A Z570 with a 1600x900 screen! This one will probably be under $2600 (not taking into account any discounts). I have been in contact with portableone (a b2b supplier!) and I am pretty sure the above configuration (and all others you find on b2b.sony.com) will show up on their website in the next two weeks.

One question that I have remaining for you, but probably rahulnirmal (with his TX) can answer this one best; How does the small text (the paragraph starting with "Built tough for business...") on http://b2b.sony.com/Solutions/product/VGN-Z590UCB look like on a 140ppi screen? Does that text hurt your eyes? Is it readable at all?

Obviously the 1366x768 consists of a screen of a vertical row of 768 'little lights' (called pixels), and of 1366 of those little lights in the horizontal direction. The 1600x900 has more lights in either direction, and since a light has to be on or off (e.g. you cannot turn it on for 2/3) yes, these are totally different screens. Even if there's a possibility to run a 1600x900 on 1366x768, it will look different than a native 1366x768 screen.

 

Anyone know what accessories the Z comes supplied with if any.

Does is have a case\sleeve, media remote which fits into the express card slot like the Dell XPS's.

And to confirm, is does have a SD Card Slot?

 

IMPORTANT Question, What does Z stand for? Thanks.

 

The Z has an SD slot, and it comes with Standard Lithium-ion battery (VGP-BPS12), AC Adapter (VGP-AC19V26) and Power Cable. This from spec. sheet VGN-Z590UAB.

 

Really? It blew away the SR's screen? Interesting. I haven't seen a Z yet, but I found the SR's screen to be very, very good.

This is what I noticed when comparing the FW's 1600x900 to the SR's 1280x800. Big difference in real estate. But the FW's screen is huge compared to the Z. We're talkin' 112 ppi vs. 140 ppi. Yikes! I'm not sure how you guys can handle 1600x900 on a 13.1" screen... but good for you!

How'd they compare to the SR's viewing angles?

How'd they compare to the FW and SR's touchpad / mouse buttons?

 

So would the icons on a desktop on both 1366x768 and 1600x900 have the same size?

 

Not natively. The 1600x900 icons will be smaller.

 

It's my sure names first character and that is another big reason to get it.

 

No, they're two completely different resolutions on the same sized screen. The higher resolution has more densely packed pixels obviously, and therefore smaller text and icons, and more detailed movies / pictures. The lower resolution screen will have less densely packed pixels and therefore the text/icons will be slightly larger. On the 1600x900 model, you might be able to use Vista's DPI scaling feature to upscale the text and icons to the same size as the 1366x768 model, but that really defeats the purpose of having a high res screen.

That's very good news! Although that model, with Blu-Ray and P9500 might be a little bit over my budget. Actually this model ( http://b2b.sony.com/Solutions/product/VGN-Z590NFB) is perfect for me - so if PortableOne offers that one I'll be very happy .

Regarding the other questions about the Z vs. SR / FW, unfortunately I only had time to study the Z, so I didn't really compare to the SR/FW beyond weight. All I know is that I would definitely not get the FW, due to the weight (reminds me too much of my 12 pound 17" HP, even though I know it's lighter), and the SR is fairly light, but after feeling the Z, the SR feels almost heavy by comparison. I did notice that the Z screen was better than both the FW and the SR, but I didn't check the viewing angles of anything but the Z unfortunately. Regarding the size of smaller text, I couldn't really test any web browsing because it didn't seem to be connected to the internet - all I remember is that the ~10pt text in Vista dialogs or when typing was crystal clear to my eyes.

 

Trust me, the Z makes the SR and FW's screens look like CRAP. The color reproduction and contrast were horrible on the SR and FW compared to the Z. I could compare those the best since all three were side-by-side.
No offense SR and FW owners but then again, your wallets are also heavier than that of Z owners.

Heck, just about any laptop screen will look poor compared to the Z, so as long as you don't place a Z next to your laptop, you'll be fine. I had a Compaq laptop for 1.5 years which I found to have a fine screen until I placed its screen next to my TZs.

 

ok well you're talking about Eco vs HiColor/X-black screen...of course it should be better...otherwise you'd be wasting money.

It's like all things... you pay more you should get more. its a given. It's like comparing a honda with a mercedes... I think everyone gets the point. Of course the 500+ more laptop should have a better screen.

 

Honda quality is far better than a Merc budd. Take my word for it. Mercs are now made in America. Can't Fu.. with Japanese man.

 

Seriously?? Oh man... I gotta stay out of this thread.

I think I might be best off not looking at a Z.

 

Anyways, for fellow CANADIANS, I phoned a Sony Store, the guy told me that the Z series should have come out today in Canada for display already but has not as yet. He also said by around 7th or 8th is a good chance, but being a really nice guy as he is, he took my name and number down and he said he'll call me as soon as he gets something. I told him my name is Toronto Guyy and he laughed, but I told him i was serious. Anyway so yea.


-=FuNkY HoUsE DiScO JaZZ MuZiK FoR LiFe=-

 

Thanks for the update! The wait is killing me! Even the wait for NBR to release a review of the laptop is killing me!

 

Well then I'm happy to own a Honda So, moral of the story...you sometimes DON'T get what you pay for?

But surely with the Z you do. Everything from dust-proof intake fans/vents from HDMI and Durascreen x-black LED makes it more the appealing. But in reality I just cannot pay 500+ for anything right now...let alone a laptop.

 

Question to the people that saw the Z in person, is it possible to open the Z with only one hand?
Or the people that are going to see the Z, could you please try to open the Z using only one hand?

It wouldn't be a dealbraker for me, but I think this is something a well designed notebook should have...

 

Well then I'm happy to own a Honda So, moral of the story...you sometimes DON'T get what you pay for?

But surely with the Z you do. Everything from dust-proof intake fans/vents from HDMI and Durascreen x-black LED makes it more the appealing. But in reality I just cannot pay 500+ ontop of my 1,500 SR for anything right now...let alone a laptop.

 

@ ac500; hehe, yea I'm actually not gonna take the Blu-ray either; I quoted the wrong URL.

Then, Rahulnirmal, could you please comment on the following;

In other words, how's small text on a 140ppi screen? (You can know cause you've a TX right?).

 

Would it be possible to use an external TFT monitor on the Vaio Z at resolutions that's not an 16:9 aspect ratio? For instance the HP w2007v has a native resolution of 1680x1050, is the Vaio Z capable of displaying in such a resolution?

If so, the Z would definatelly be the choice for me!!

 

Yes, just because the laptop's display is 16:9, doesn't mean it can only output at that resolution. My TZ with a 16:9 screen can output to 4:3 and 16:10 screens just fine.