Sony CW i3/i5/i7 Official Owners Thread

i HAD the white one which is same specs as you described in the Red one (mine dint come w/ Blu Ray tho) It was awesome computer, i loved it so much i came home and ordered the "higher end model" (of course now i am panicking about the dang 1600x900 resolution) but i think if Red is the color you want, u will love the computer. Quick as all get out and a 4.9 WEI score. Don't think u could ask for more for $799.00 w/ Blu-Ray- u will love it-[/

 

Not tiny at all .

Love this resolution!

 

is anyone waiting on a CW26 with the 1600x900 screen? i don't wanna go to the trouble (and waste space) here and bore y'all writing my review if no one is wondering about my model- let me know....

 

Really? But are u a spunky 20 yr old? i have 50 yr old eyeballs

 

So far I have had absolutely no issues. I've been using it for a couple days. If worse comes to worse you can just download the original drivers from Sony's website.

 

Nah, I'm 33.

I have horrendous vision but wear corrective lenses.

 

I installed it and it seems to be working fine...seems like a handy add on

 

I installed the latest synaptics drivers for multitouch and they are great! Everything is working flawlessly. Two finger scroll, three finger forward and back, pinch zoom and rotate. Its awesome. I'm so glad I got a notebook that supports all of this even though the included driver is a little crippled.

The options are buried though. I opened the synaptics icon in the system tray, hit pointing device properties, then you get the full options. Only thing I wanted to do, but couldn't figure out was how to assign a middle click to a three finger tap.

 

44 year old eyes here but I cheated a while ago and got Lasik...

 

The i5 vs i3 is mostly about the turbo mode. The i3 runs at full speed all the time, the i5 can slow down when not in use. Actual computing speed I wouldn't worry too much about. The 310m is about a half the speed of the 330m if I remember right.

 

awesome thanks.

 

Look forward to it! I am one day behind you. I will get the box/envelope tomorrow at work. I sent back the Sony F11 for this one. Hope mine does not come in pieces.

 

Do you have a link for the drivers?

 

what sort of battery life are you guys getting? Just general surfing, word processing, iTunes, etc with wifi on?

 

umm... www.synaptics.com/support/drivers

 

I'm interested in this model. I just have one question, does it have switchable integrated graphics?

 

no, it has dedicated graphics.

i love this machine more and more everytime i use it. this is my first time using windows seven and i really like it.

 

Of course not! I dying to read your review. I myself finally ordered the 899 CW26 w/ blueray after thinking a lot whether the screen resolution would be too high for me. My laptop will arrive on Monday, the 1st of Feb.
I do a lot of reading on my laptop, and if the resolution is too high, there will be no other option but to return it, despite the hefty 135$ restocking fee (though I think I am going to try and negotiate it with BB- 135$ for just opening and checking out something just does not make any sense, especially if there is no other way to do so since they are not available in the stores!).

 

Well what I felt to be excessive blu ray noise (when playing blu ray movie only) was driving me crazy.

I took my $950 CW best buy Sony Vaio and they let me return it (without any restocking fee).

They said I couldn't exchange it since they didn't have it in stock in the store (which is what I really wanted to do). So I just ordered the same identical jet black core i5 again (shipped to store so I don't have to wait for UPS again).

So I'll get another identical model next Thursday. Hopefully this replacement CW blu ray drive won't make the excessive noise as the one I just returned.

If it does, I'll just keep it. The DVD playback was normal, just the blu ray noise from blu ray movies. I really love this laptop. I just wanted to make sure I didn't get a lemon but if all the blu ray drives are supposed to make noises, I'll live with it since I don't intend to really watch blu ray movies on this computer.

I really wished others would have commented on their blu ray noise from their CW laptops but I didn't get any feedback. So I didn't want to take any chances it was my computer that was the problem.

 

I eagerly await your review, because it sounds like you may be even more indecisive than I am! Actually, maybe not, mine's been sitting in the box for two days

I was flirting with the 799 model as well (I ordered the 949 i5). For those of you with the i5 (and the expertise), beyond gaming performance will I be losing much? Is the bump in screen resolution and blu ray worth it? I opted for the more expensive version just to have "the best" and feel like I'm getting the most bang for the buck even though I mostly surf and write and work with photos. Think it's all worth the extra $150? Thank you again!

 

I'm sorry to hear that. I know it's frustrating not being able to get answers to something so new and I hope that your new laptop works out! I guess if you want to save some money you can opt for the one without the blu ray, that's something I wrote about in a few minutes ago.

 

i commented! i sent u to the website to look at the reviews for the VPCF115FM/B model becuz lots of those folks got that same Blu Ray hisssssss.

( http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Sony+-+...05382&id=1218154378383#tabbed-customerreviews

 

i hope you realize the $899.00 model VPCCW26FX does NOT come with Blue Ray. That model is CW27 - $949.00 (unless i mistaken)

Also, i already called Best Buy to negotiate my return because i also did not feel it fair to be penalized for a restocking fee. I got a VERY nice lady who was very understanding and told me to "go ahead and open it" and IF it was "impossible to deal with even after adjusting DPI or larger fonts, she would "credit it as a defective model" She really "identified" with my dilemma, because i told her how the specs were exactly what i wanted but i was fearful 1600x900 might just be perfect for Blu-Ray but everyday use, not so much. She gave me a RMA and everything! (She really had no choice, i am the kinda gal that will "never take NO for an answer if i sense there is a YES to be had somewhere! lol)

 

Oh yeah... I am sorry. I actually meant w/o blueray.

Actually, I really wanted the one w/ BlueRay, but I wanted the white color more than the blueray, and there was no blueray in the white color one.
So I finally went for the white one thinking that if needed, I'll buy a 115$ blue ray player separately.

Thanks for your comment though, and eagerly awaiting your review. (I guess your UPS guy must be around the corner )

 

Funny, i too wanted the Blu-Ray but HAD to have the white one ALSO so i passed. Besides, from all i read about the Blu Ray not living up to certain expectations, i dint wanna take the chance it would "ruin the experience" and i'd get mad at my computer and hate her! Also i already had her name picked out (Snowberry) and i couldn't very well call her that if she was JET BLACK... lol ok i'm fixin' to write my review in a few- Stay tuned!

 

okay you guys are starting to scare me a little...its just a computer after all, not a Japanese body pillow...

 

Goooooo Snowberry!!

From earlier, I think I screwed this up, sorry...

"I eagerly await your review, because it sounds like you may be even more indecisive than I am! Actually, maybe not, mine's been sitting in the box for two days

I was flirting with the 799 model as well (I ordered the 949 i5). For those of you with the i5 (and the expertise), beyond gaming performance will I be losing much? Is the bump in screen resolution and blu ray worth it? I opted for the more expensive version just to have "the best" and feel like I'm getting the most bang for the buck even though I mostly surf and write and work with photos. Think it's all worth the extra $150? Thank you again!"

 

Lol.... we all are such pathetic materialistic creatures. A piece of electronic has driven us all crazy.

 

Hmmm... now thats so lucky of you! I always get these people who DO identify with my problem, and then say they cant do anything about it.
I guess its my non-native english.

 

Hey, does anyone know how to use this bing cash back?

 

excuse me, but i am not "pathetic".... i am obsessive, relentless, annoying, compulsive, neurotic, manic, indecisive, and a self professed mess... lol

Okay now for my review:

First off, no bag. Came in a box with a bubble pillow with about 4 sections. I wanted to film the UPS guy approaching my house so i could go "one better than everyone else" in my unboxing video (oh yeah, i forgot to mention "competitive" up there ^ ^ ^ lol... but he snuck up to my doorway and i missed his "approach." you can bet i told him, "the next time u have a delivery for MY house, u make it your FIRST stop, none of this 5:30 pm nonsense!" (he wasn't sure i was kidding till i smiled- boy, did he seem relieved to be leaving this nut's house !)

Okay to address the 1600x900 right off:

Awesome! Yes, its small, but small and crystal clear. My husband looked at it and was like, "wow, that's amazing, i can see that print no problem, and i would normally need my reading glasses for print that small"...('Course he's seen me return like 10 laptops so anything positive he can say, he will
But seriously, i would NEVER return this because of that, its the best resolution i've ever seen. So much so in fact, i am now wondering how to improve my Desktop Computer's resolution, which is a 23HP 1980x1050 but for some reason is nowhere near this clear (i guess the 23inches vs the 14") that, until today, i thought was the greatest screen. NOW, after looking at this, those fonts look blurry and pixelated as all get out... (Yayyyy, something else to obsess over..kidding

My wei score is same as someone else posted: 5.9 overall (i can give more details on that if asked)

Noise Factor: Sooooooooooo quietttttttttttttttttttttttt!!! You do not even know this thing is on. Not even a whirrrrrr. I think that's due to slower hard drive, but if so, i'm lovin' it!

Speed: Wow- Lightening fast, every single window, "bam! bam" bam"! Have 20 windows open, no lie, not a glitch! A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!


Keyboard: The buttons on keyboard are fantastic. I think i type faster than any keyboard i have ever used.

Mousey: i haven't played with but go with the guy who said its awesome, i haven't read anything to the contrary (and i have read, and read, and read about this computer

Windows 7: of course is awesome. i have even figured out a few tricks on how to display desktop rather than peek at it, Put my network BACK under the computer (where it belongs!) and how to have recent items show up again. For those of you who don't know about G*d Mode, i can give you a quick way to open that utility. Its easy peasy and gives you all your options IN ONE PLACE. I also found that site that allows you to change your Welcome Screen without hacking (not that i would know how to hack) but i haven't changed mine yet.

http://s809.photobucket.com/albums/...w&current=SnowberryWelcomeScreen.png&newest=1

Sound: low like ppl said, but i have the coolest external speakers that plug in with one USB that are almost Bose quality so no worries there.

Separate SD Micro Slot AND Separate SD slot. Pretty cool how they did that. I hate using adapters.

If anyone hasn't seen the white up close and personal, you are in for such a treat. It glistens, and is a beautiful shade of pearly white. i have seen whites that look plastic and like a child's toy. NOT THIS!

okies, that's it for now. i know there's way more i want to (and will say, but for now that should hold anyone who hasn't yet received theirs, or is on the fence about ordering it.

Trust me, UNLESS it were to malfunction, you couldn't pry this out of my hands even with a gun to my head. Its purrrrrrr-fect, truly!

 

Great, so the screen's awesome. phew!... but now you've made my wait for my laptop even more difficult. I really should have paid extra for the expedited delivery.

 

yes! it is completely legible no matter what you are looking at. (And trust me, i pulled up every sort of document i could find, all different websites, EVERYTHING) because i did not want to just "THINK" it would be fine, but then down the road be like, this is just too tiny. That's what happened to me when i bought a netbook, so i KNOW this isnt like THAT

yeah, shame on you for cheapin' out... lol j/k

 

I'm in the same boat, but I should of paid for shipping rather then getting it free and delivered to the store and have to wait over a week.
On the bright side I did get the 3-year accidental coverage for $329 where it looks like its $389 on the web at bestbuy.com

 

haha. shame on you for being paranoid for such a beauty. lol. no j/k

jokes apart, now please dont get immersed in your laptop, keep letting us know how you find your laptop, and probably an unboxing video. you'll be the first one to upload that on youtube!

 

I bought the laptop using my friend's credit card. Her credit card (Continental Airlines, Chase bank) offers an extended warranty, basically doubles the warranty for free! So I now have 2 yrs warranty.

 

Excellent! Great to hear. I look forward to getting mine tomorrow.

 

Ms Bunny, you're making it very hard to keep mine in the box while trying to decide if the extra $150 was worth it for the processor, screen and blu ray! The response I've got from people here is very strong even comparing it to a Macbook Pro (more bang for buck). I know you didn't spring for the blu ray but overall you sound delighted, which has me leaning towards either keeping mine or getting a different version. Thanks for your input!

 

The accidental warranty is more then just an extended. Biggest advantage is they will give you one free battery replacement within the 3 years. and at $200 for one, I look at it where I am paying $130 for 3 year total protection in case I drop it or spill something on it. The biggest thing I have heard people have problems with on laptops are the power cord plug in.

 

just a small addendum, but if you are a purveyor of Sony products this thing has integration already in mind. I have a Sony mini-DVD camcorder and this has an iLink port. I have a PSP and it has a link to install Media Go on the desktop and a Memory Stick Duo slot in the front. I also have a Location Free player and they already had the software installed. Made it very convenient for me to get set up.

and in honor of Dummbunny I'm considering calling my computer Fluffy Bunny

 

Hmm... That makes sense. Though I cant spend so much.

 

sheesh, quit agonizing and just join the club already!

 

Damn you and your peer pressure!! Okay, okay, maybe tomorrow...

 

what's BB policy on the battery replacement with their warranty? i.e. how do they define when its dead, or needs to be replaced?

 

Open the box!!! First of all, surely if you opened it, and didn't like it, there would HAVE to be a legitimate reason you didn't want to keep it, and the people at Best Buy would work with you i am SURE! If not, you hang up, and call right back and plead your case to someone else- (That's what i did!) But there is no way, absolutely NO WAY, you will not love every single thing about this machine. I promise u!

 

Come on, Fiddles, open the box. It truly is amazing. I was making myself physically ill over the agony of indecision. Once you see it and start using it, I'm sure you'll be happy. If not, I'm with D. Bunny - you should be able to take it back for a full refund.

 

Come on everyone...lets chant!

OPEN IT, OPEN IT You know you wanna, OPEN IT!!!!!!

 

and also, can everyone get busy and make their "signature"...i am having an awful time trying to figure out each time who owns what!

 

assuming i got a cw series from best buy for 950 with the blu ray drive, does anyone know if they sell an HDD adapter so i can put a 500GB hdd in the blu ray drive's place much like I can do with a thinkpad?