Sony CW i3/i5/i7 Official Owners Thread

Ordered a new CW from the Sony website today:

i5 CPU (2.40Ghz)
1600 x 900 display with 330M 512MB
4GB / 320GB (have plenty of networked storage, £50 extra for 500GB is a rip)
White

As has been pointed out before, the 1366x768 option comes with the 310M, the 1600 x 900 option comes with the 330M.

I imagine running at 1600 x 900 resolution, even for the 330M and the uprated CPU, will result in a few less frames per second than the previous model running P8700 and 230M @ 1366 x 768. However, I'm pretty sure the sacifice will be worth it

The i5 CPU is also a fair bit quicker than the outgoing P8700

 

Does anyone know when the i3 is coming out. It is $57.00 cheaper to get the i3 than the i5 and I'm trying to figure out if it is worth waiting for it.

 

I'm jealous. Almost wish I would have waited. The hardware upgrades aren't huge so not too worried about that, but I always like higher resolution, so a 1600x900 would have been great. Sometimes browsing websites gets annoying when I can barely see any of the page without having to scroll.

But the only reason I didn't wait any longer is because I was buying on for school. School started last week. I didn't want to wait for new models and crap, because there's always going to be new stuff coming out no matter when you buy one.

Oh and I did get the free Blu-Ray burner upgrade, so I can't complain!

 

For those still shopping, Sony is offering the i7 in Canada in a range of colors:
Intel® Core™ i7-620M processor (2.66GHz) with Turbo Boost up to 3.33GH

The display is still 1366x768, however, and the dedicated graphics are G211M GPU (256MB VRAM).

 

How do you choose 1600x 900 resolution?

I'm in USA and they still don't have a listing for if you would like to change the graphics card or the display size. How are other people able to do this? What countries do you guys live in?

 

The US CTO does not allow the 1600x900 display. Maybe in a month or two, they might change their mind and allow it.

 

Finally I made up my mind and ordered the following configuration with express shipping so that I can receive it before end of the month.

Intel® Core™ i5-520M processor (2.40GHz) with Turbo Boost up to 2.93GHz / 4GB (2GBx2) DDR3-SDRAM-1066 / Blu-ray Disc™ player / Jet Black / Standard Capacity Battery (VGP-BPS13) / Genuine Windows® 7 Professional 64-bit /
320GB Hard Disk Drive (5400rpm).. Only think is the system did not say anything about the video card and there was no option... I am not sure what it is going to come with... Any ideas team..

 

I just found out it just comes with...GeForce 310M GPU integrated VRAM... I am not sure if the configuration is worth $1100.00 may be i should have gone with earlier model with GT...! I am not sure ... Any thoughts..

 

Given a choice, I would go with the newer generation without a second thought, unless you want to wait a bit until these models are refreshed with some higher specced components. In another 3-4 months, there should be a refresh, if you are willing to wait that long.

 

Roweray...I need a machine by end of this month....so no option of waiting...

I have a t6600 with 512 MB GT that I bought from Sony Style showroom... I am not sure to return it or cancel the new machine....How does T6600 + 230GT compare with i5-520M + 310 GPU

 

you can keep the T6600+ GT230 if you are going to do graphics intensive work like playing latest games or video editing, but if you will be doing basic stuff like web browsing, movies, documents , etc, then keep i5+310m with you.

 

You guys in the US are being stiffed on the 1600x900 Geforce 330M option. Why this is I have no idea. You'd currently be better off going for a previous gen model with a 230M.

It's weird because the US options are more progressive in other areas - greater RAM choices, HD options, battery options. Unfortunately you are missing the biggest and most important one!

Here is the UK customization page:

https://www.sonystyle.co.uk/SonyStyle/ipc/dis.....

 

if you already have t6600+gt230 configuration then i will strongly advise you to cancel the order of i5+g310 256MB because its not worth paying $300 extra($1100) for this configuration which has a much weaker graphics card though it has better processor but T6600 is enough for almost everything..

 

My dell laptop motherboard blew after 2.5 yrs, and I was thinking if I had just got the 3 yr extended warranty, I would have been fine. So when I got the CW (and spent $900+ on it), I added the warranty for peace of mind. I wasn't going to be put in a situation like I found myself in, when my Dell died on me. I got it for 3 years, and since I travel quite a bit, I can rest a little easier.

But the warranty can get pricey, so I had to save up for it, but its up to you if you feel that you can absorb any loss, should your laptop die on you.

 

IF people cant wait then you can get the 1600x900 and GT330 512MB GPU on the business site with Glossy jet black pre config models
the one i want to get is for
$1099
VPCCW2EGX/B
Jet Black
14" 1600x900 LED
4GB (2GBx2) DDR3/1066
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 330M GPU 512MB dedicated video RAM
Microsoft® Windows® 7 Professional 64-bit
500GB 5400RPM HDD
Read / Write (DVD±R/±RW/±R DL/-RAM)
Intel® Core™ i5 - 540M 2.53GHz1 with Turbo Boost Technology up to 3.06GHz
----------------
only thing im hating right now is that even if its on the business site they dont offier fresh start and no other colour options
these are the ONLY AND ONLY two things holding me back right now, because i want the red colour really badly and i want fresh start
but i dont know what to do
i like things that are simple yet stand out and in my opinion black is too dull now thats why i loved the red and black together its just mind blowing, but oh well. but yeah ill convince myself i guess to be okay with glossy jet black
here is the link for everyone else
http://b2b.sony.com/Solutions/subcategory/notebooks/performance/cw-series
give me a rep if this post helped you out

 

anyone know what wifi chip is being used in the new CW? if not intel has it been easy to switch them in the past?

 

Hey all,

Long time lurker here. I've been waiting for months to get the CW I want, and I'm thinking of taking the plunge for one of the business models, especially since you can get a core i7.

But I need a blu-ray drive too. Does anyone know how hard it would be to put one in?

 

Wow, a CW with i7 and a 330GM sounds too good!

The only thing I find meh is the RAM.. is 4GB of Ram good enough for the i7 or would 6GB help? I need to know just in case I go ahead and end up ordering one from Sony Style.

 

This is the system I order...
Intel® Core™ i5-520M processor (2.40GHz) with Turbo Boost up to 2.93GHz / 4GB (2GBx2) DDR3-SDRAM-1066 / Blu-ray Disc™ player / Jet Black / Standard Capacity Battery (VGP-BPS13) / Genuine Windows® 7 Professional 64-bit /
320GB Hard Disk Drive (5400rpm) 1134/ Graphics Card NVIDIA 330 M - $1134

This is what I currently have and will return during the weekend Intel® Core™ 2 Duo (2.2GHz) / 4GB (2GBx2) DDR3-SDRAM-1066 / DVD RW player / Royal Indigo / Standard Capacity Battery (VGP-BPS13) / Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit / 320GB Hard Disk Drive (5400rpm)/ Graphics Card 230GT - $869....

I should have made it clear earlier... So if I have not upgraded the Optical Drive / Windows 7 it could have reduced price by $140... i.e $1000 and processor being high end now..I could have approximately paid $150 more... So I have decided to keep the system I have ordered (Core i5) return back the T6600.... Thank you all for your suggestion...

 

Hi, does anyone have any idea when these new CW models will be out? I've heard that the 330m graphics card will be available and is right now in the UK but not in the US. Also, on the business website there are CWs with the i7 processor, will these be available for customization soon as well?

I'd have the perfect laptop for me right now if I could only get the better graphics card so I'm really confused as to why it is not available. So any help is appreciated.

 

I had a chance to chat with one of the rep in a sony style showroom here in Midwest - US and was told (How true?) that they are still figuring out the configuration they would like to offer and 330 should be available shortly (a month or two) ...

 

I ordered the following a couple of weeks ago direct from sony online:

VAIO SR - £849 (about $1370)
* Silver
* Intel® Core(TM)2 Duo 2.66 GHz
* 320 GB Serial ATA (7200 rpm)
* 4 GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM
* Blu-ray Disc(TM) drive
* Windows® 7 Home Premium
* No Fingerprint and no TPM
* LCD 13.3" , 1280x800 + webcam
* ATI Mobility 4570 512MB

Today I was on the website, cancelled, then bought the following:

VAIO CW - £899 (about $1450)

# Intel® CoreTM i5 Processor
# Windows® 7 Home Premium
# Black
# 320 GB Serial ATA (5400 rpm)
# 4 GB 1066MHz DDR3-SDRAM
# Blu-ray Disc(TM) writer
# NVidia Geforce 330 512Mb
# 35.6 cm LCD, 1600x900 + webcam

This was a sensible trade for one hour less battery and 500 grams more, wasn't it? I'm starting to get confused...

 

yes it was a good choice. you get alot more (i5, 330m, 1600x900 display, drr3 ram,) for only £50 more.

 

hi all, i ordered the c2d based CW last december, but last week sony wasnt even shipping it, so i canceled the order, and find out that there were this "refreshed" series.
I am now a bit confused lol.
this was what i had ordered:

VPCCW190X CTO
No additional Photo Editing Software
Fresh Start
No additional Office Software
4GB (2GBx2) DDR3-SDRAM-1066
No additional Finance Software
Standard Capacity Battery (VGP-BPS13)
No additional AntiVirus Software
CD/DVD playback/burning
No Engraving
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor P8700 (2.53GHz)
No additional Video Editing Software
NVIDIA® GeForce® G210M GPU (256MB VRAM)GDDR3
Jet Black
Genuine Microsoft® Windows® 7 Professional 64bit
320GB Hard Disk Drive (5400rpm)

$ 879 .99 +TAX

and now, how does this compare to the new custom i5 series ? (US sonystyle)
say this setup:

VPCCW290X CTO
# Intel® Core™ i5-540M processor (2.53GHz) with Turbo Boost up to 3.06GHz
# Fresh Start
# No Engraving
# No additional Office Software
# No additional AntiVirus Software
# 4GB (2GBx2) DDR3-SDRAM-1066
# CD/DVD burner
# No additional Video Editing Software
# No additional Photo Editing Software
# Jet Black
# Standard Capacity Battery (VGP-BPS13)
# Genuine Windows® 7 Professional 64-bit
# 320GB Hard Disk Drive (7200rpm)
$1,049.99 + TAX

the thing thats confusing me most is the GPU not sure which one is in the new series, along with the resolution.

Thanks in advance!

 

Yeah, it's pretty user unfriendly, Windows 7 boots up so quickly anyway so that's even more incentive to boot up the OS rather than dealing with Splashtop. The fact that you can only save to external USB drives (as far as I know) and you can't view PDF files makes it quite limited in its capacity. Having password protection on splashtop would be nice, to stop random people gaining access to the internet.

For £900, you have a myriad of options. What are you after in particular?

I just got Modern Warfare 2 today and on native resolution, max settings (no AA though), it runs like butter, quite surprising because it runs smoother than Counter-Strike Source, which is over five years old It doesn't turn into a harrier jet when gaming either.

I'm absolutely loving my CW so far, if there's anything I would change, it'd be to have everything in a 15.5'/15.6' frame because I do miss having a bigger screen.

 

Well this one might have been better?

http://www.laptopshop.co.uk/sony-vpcf11m1e/h,laptop,n4.htm

 

hello i just knew that they change the processor and graphic card in cw ... what was better the old processor t9600 or the new i5-520M and i5-540M ?? and how about the graphic card i think the 230m is better than 310M?? and i heard also that there will be a newer graphic card which is 330m and for sure its better than 230m?? ... but when will it be available in UK, USA, and Canada websites

thnx for ur helps

 

I just went to Best Buy and they have the new CW's with Core i3 for $750.

 

that;s a good deal!! but i want a large capacity battery and buying it separate is more expensive right?

 

which graphics card was available with i3 - G 310m or GT 330m?

 

If memory serves me correctly it looked like it had the GT 310m

 

Sony CW with GT 330M
http://b2b.sony.com/Solutions/subcategory/notebooks/performance/cw-series

 

also has the i7 620M

 

I live in canada, anyone have any idea how i could order the new CW with a 512mb video card? I see the business division has it but no idea how i could get it.

Thanks

 

I'm in the US and can't figure out how to order the CW off of the b2b website with the gt 330. It tells me I need to find a reseller, but I can't find any that carry the CW with gt 330 graphics. Any suggestions?

 

http://www.bestbuybusiness.com/bbfb...ame=VPCCW2&by_category=&submit.x=0&submit.y=0

Try the link about for Best Buy B2B the new CW config are displayed...

 

I'll be getting the refreshed CW laptop with Windows 7 Home within next couple of weeks. I got a copy of professional Windows 7. I understand that first thing that needs to be done is to make recovery disks. Should I do the windows upgrade first, then make recovery disk or vice-versa? Thanks.

 

I would strongly recommend you take recovery disc as is before installing windows 7 Professional as it might help you to go to original state if you have to.

Since you have copy of Windows 7 professional Edition you might not need to take a recovery disk after you install.

But if you want other applications that you install in addition to Windows professional edition then you might want to take a recovery disc after you install Windows 7 professional Edition.

Hope this helps...

 

Team... Anyone can you let me know what kind of security features CW series comes with (i.e. Facial recognition or Finger Print reader etc)... Thank you for your response.

 

Definitely make the recovery discs first, and make sure you check the box to verify the DVDs.

 

do you think BestBuy will be selling the CW's with the i3 with a Blu-Ray player. and if so how much do you think it would be. before the new line came out they sold the old CW's with a core 2 duo, 500gb, ddr3 and a blu-ray for around $829

 

does anyone know when the i3 comes out...the current i5 are out of stock

 

So one of the reps told me that the 330M and the 1600x900 may not come to the consumer line of CWs at all. I have a feeling she didn't know what she was talking about though.

 

They did? I really wish someone knew what was actually going to happen bc i really want to know whether or not I should wait for the improvements or if theyre even coming at all. I wish sony would just tell us

 

Yeah it's pretty pathetic. Right now the CWs are hot regardless of what other options Sony adds so my guess is they'll sit on the current configurations for a while until their sales die down a bit.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834127032

I wonder if the screen viewing angles and speaker volume have improved.

 

I spoke with a sony online help associate today and they proceeded to tell me they had no idea if/ever a gforce 330m option would be available on the new cw series.

They are such freaking liars/idiots etc....

Newegg has these for sale right now with a 330m.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834127032

I wonder how long it will be until the sonystyle website allows for the config option.

 

I say another month at least.

 

Wow NewEgg has already disabled the links to purchase the new sony cw models with a 330m graphics chip listed on their website.

 

Haha I know. I had the model that I wanted in my shopping cart, and when I went to check out, it told me they were now sold out. I've been waiting to buy this laptop for a month now, this is getting ridiculous. Sony, add the gt 330 to your website soon!