Official VAIO Z Core 2 Duo Series Owners Thread

Macbook: 1200/1400
SR: 1400
Z: 1800-2200

I agree that SR is a closer match to MB. But Apple does not have any better 13".

And for me personally it's different because I picked up the Z at a low price.

 

should i worry that my adpater makes a ZZZ static noice and when it is placed vertical it stops

 

If you are sure it's not from the laptop or the outlet, then you may have gotten a slightly worse adapter than the average. It's unlikely to damage the laptop, but you may have to buy another adapter earlier than you planned...

 

Are adapters covered under warranty as i got 3 year warranty for free

 

Sure.

10 char

 

At the very least, it is still faster in switching than my SZs, isn't it?

 

Man, that is nasty!

 

I don't care for anything Mac. I can't wait until PC manufacturers take advantage of the integrated 9400M to make ultra thin/light notebooks. And hopefully there will be models without built-in ODD for even more extreme thinness/lightness.

The 9400M may not be the most powerful mobile GPU, but it's quite decent enough for people that care about mobility. Can you imagine a toting around a paper thin Z???

 

Agreed.. the 9400M is very impressive for an IGP
it gets around 2000+ points in 3dmark06
On par with the HD3470 in SR and the 9300M GS in the Z

 

What i find really impressive is that they managed to get it into an Air.

I wonder how/if Sony will respond.

 

Crysis on the MBA...

 

o ya... i thought when the hybrid graphics appeared on SZ series, sony wanted to patent the design?
how come so many companies coming out with dual graphics?
patent application failed?

 

I've actually noticed that there is "smudging" due to the step... I'll call it smudging now, but it is a little disconcerting. I'm using a protective cloth now to go between the screen when the lid is shut.

 

I'll surely use a screen protector on my Z, BUT I never experienced the same thing with any other notebook (IBM, Toshiba, Fujitsu Biblo, ...)

 

True, but there's a price for making very light notebooks with very thin screens.

I doubt that the Toshiba R500 will do any better.

 

Yes, I even uninstalled VAIO Event Service twice since the brightness buttons werent working. Now it works, the only thing that doesnt work now is the S1, S2 buttons. I have installed everything listed here except for:

7. To install Microsoft Core XML Services (What is this?)

15. To install WindowsInstaller-KB893803 (Not Required If You Have SP3)

16. To install Atheros WirelessLAN Driver (Im sure mines Intel)

23. To install Setting Utility Series (Not sure what this is)

26. To install Battery Checker Tool (Dont think I need it)

27. To install Infineon (Nope, dont need it)

28. To install Intel Matrix Storage Manager (Not sure what this does)

29. To install SuiteQL (Nope, dont need it)

31. To install VAIO Update (Nope, dont need it)

Everything else works fine.

 

Another advantage of the Z would be better viewing angles and better quality screen overall. I've toyed with a Macbook yesterday in our local Apple shop and it seems Apple are still using the cheepo panels they used in the old plastic MB on the new aluminum ones. I guess it should not be a surprise because the MB is considered Apple's low-mid consumer machine.

The new MBP's screen however is gorgeous.

 

Asus put a 9300M in a 10.1: netbook, that is plenty small, now if they could just put a dual core processor in it. so in comparison, the new macbook isn't all that impressive for size and gpu power. although the asus can't really use all the 9300M power because the atom just doesn't hack it.

 

okay guys, drove 60 miles just to see the new Macbook pro yesterday and my conclusio .......... will wait for the next update (probably won't be long since Apple update their product all the time). The keyboard + the screen... just doesnt show the fact that the laptop worth over 2500 after tax. I hate those black keyboard. If it was to go with some thing dark then yeah, maybe but it just stand out so much on the silver background. I'm so used with my Z590 so much that the Apple's screen just doesn't seem that good anymore. One thing though, I admire Apple's capability of staying on top with the lastest technology. The Z is way underpower for the technology available right now. Sony need to learn more from Apple on this issue.

 

What do you mean?

The Macbook weighs 500 grams more than the Z, while the Z is at least as powerful and has way more features.

The Macbook Pro weighs 1000 grams more than the Z so that's not a fair comparison.

 

Well new "better" technology is coming all the time. More than likely, when the designers for the Z were looking at what they were going to put under the hood, they looked at all the available devices that they thought would be available to them. Remember that the Z was released several months(?) before the Macbooks (at least in U.S.) and that kind of time makes a world of difference. They may have had the final design done even earlier than that.

For instances, in GPU, looking at various sources, 9400M is not even mentioned in lot of the websites that talks about Nvidia line of GPUs. I suspect 9400M was released later (after 9300), and just happened to coincide with Apple's release.

When you have to design, you look at what you want to achieve, and go with the latest available components to meet that objective. I am just glad they waited until the 45 nm Penryn came out.

As soon as a laptop comes out, its technology is already old for its time in a fast moving digital industry. Most of the component selection decision are made early on in the design phase, and that could be 6months to a year before the actual release date (if not longer).

 

Actually Apple could learn from Sony how to make hot switchable graphics:
MacBook Pro requires logout to switch graphics modes
http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/14/macbook-pro-requires-logout-to-switch-graphics-modes/

 

you know what - in my head I kept comparing 15" MBP vs Z so obviously.. >smacks self< lol

Z wins guys, d'oh moment

 

come on guys.. lets not start hating each other..

the new apple mb and the Z are great laptops, top of the class...
honestly i am really unsure about returning my Z for the MBP, i love the Z's design, however the Apple's aluminum unibody is something worth praising...

but the main reason i am going for the MBP is that it is more "future" proof in relation to games.. it will hopefully run starcraft 2 and diablo 3 on medium settings, where as the Z would probably have some trouble...

 

Right, thats where comparing MBP to Z doesn't make sense. Z is made for mobile businessmen/women, who are not into playing games. MBP is essentially Apple's version of sleek desktop replacement.

Thus, if I wanted to play games .... I wouldn't get an "ultra-portable" laptop, but then again, I wouldn't get a Mac either (unless you like playing games that have been out for several months already, or like having lack of selection).

 

Well LG P310 is certainly an option. Too bad it's hard to get.

 

I didnt even know LG made laptops. I guess we don't see many of them coming our way in US.

 

After spending more time with the Z & at the Apple store, I decided what I really want is a MacBook Air with a 1600 x 900 screen... but I don't think Apple is likely to be coming out with that spec anytime soon. :-(

 

It's a 13" with 9600GT 512 DDR3 RAM. Very light. No optical drive build in.

Germany has them. Canada will get them too.

 

two reasons why i think they are comparable

1. Powerful machines with nice design
2. great battery life

 

Hey guys, ive been getting really annoying distortion from the left speaker. Like a buzzing sound cuz its a tiny speaker. This has been a problem after a week old but its gotten fairly worse and now its just pissin me off. Im scared to take it in the Sony repair center cuz its such a new laptop and dont want them opening the laptop up and possibly scratching it! Especially after hearing stories about Sony giving the laptop back with scratches and all, but then again thats from shipping it to the U.S and all. What you guys think??

 

this might be driver related, don't know..

have you tried using a headphone to see if the hiss is still present?

 

My SR kinda had the same problem
I downloaded the latest driver from Realtek (the Z uses the same card) and it solved the problem.
you should try that and see if that works

 

yeah mine too the drivers fixed it i think this is a common problem, maybe..


____________________________
Dont be too quick to judge

 

Yeah, who knows? A little later down the road, Sony may just be able have this integrated 9400M G graphics in the TT series or its successor.

 

Could it be this? I don't know what to say as I installed everything in Sony's guide and my S1/S2 buttons work just fine. If you chose to exclude some stuff and now your S1/S2 button don't work, then I guess you excluded something you shouldn't have?

 

Thank you, installing that solved the shortcut problems! +rep for you!

 

No i would hope not unless they were planning on putting 2 graphics card in there. The 9400MG is not as good for battery life as intel integrated graphics is.
Putting 4500HD and a 9400GS in the Sony revision might be a better idea.

 

Why does it have to be 2 graphics card? Can't it be like the Macbook, the TT having just the 9400M G integrated graphics?

 

Guys, come on New macbook (not pro) has not only smaller screen resolution. It's screen color saturation and angles are really average and way worse, than Z.

 

Nissan GT-R = sickness...So yea I already downloaded the latest driver from Sony site which was about a month ago, is there a new one released on the Sony site now? I highly doubt its a driver issue, that just doesnt add up, I mean it seems like the actual speaker on the unit itsself, like a defected speaker or something, I dunno. Please advise Cheers.

 

Haha yep.. love the GTRs..
anyways, Sony never update the driver... so you got to go to Realtek's website to update the driver to the latest one..
Same thing happened to me but updating the driver helped

 

here's the web site.

http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsCheck.aspx?Langid=1&PFid=24&Level=4&Conn=3&DownTypeID=3

 

Oh thx bro, but these are just datasheets, should I try HD Audio Codec driver on the right hand side of that page?

 

Because Nvidia integrated graphics is not as good as intel graphics when it comes to battery life. If you want max battery life you are better going for intel integrated graphics over Nvidia's offerings. Facts and numbers are out there if you want to look into this a bit more.

 

I want to buy the VGNZ555DNB, what are your thoughts? I also looked at the VGNSR140DS, I'm planning on going to Pacific mall(asian mall in Toronto) to look for at other brands...can you suggest another brand and model similar to the Sony Z555? Should i get the Blue ray drive?

 

no problem
yeah that's it

 

The Vaio Z590 is your alternative, but you have to do a custom order, either from web or from sonystyle store. You will get a normal English keyboard, and you can have flexible choices such as more memory, BD, etc. You will not find any other blend like vaio

 

Get that Z555.

Don't buy CTO, I saw some built quality problems.
I wish I got that Canadian $1999.99 z555, it is the cheapest in the world especially with current Canadian currency to US.

Mine is Singaporean Z17, but during US-Canada Biz travel... I notice Z555 built quality is impressive.

Anyway, check these first:

1. Gap in LCD (top and sides)
2. Both Hinge (is it straight or bent, proportional gap?)
3. Keyboard (some is not straight)
4. White light leak
5. DVD (is it properly align?)

 

You might be able to get the price down another $80-$100 at a SonyStyle store, but it is up to the store if they will discount it. Just keep in mind, as some users on this forum have reported, Sony reps won't always offer someone a discount.

I got that model a little over a month ago at a SonyStyle store for $1899.99. Also note, that Best Buy is selling it now on their Canadian site for $1999.99. I originally wanted to buy it at BestBuy, because I have a friend who works there, but they took too long... Oh, well....