Sony Vaio Duo 13 Owners Thread

Hey all you Vaio Duo 13 owners out there. I have an opportunity to get a brand new Duo 13 (i74500U 256gb SDD), for $1500. Item is a private auction on eBay. So that means I don't have the safety blanket of returning it to a Sony store if it's not what I had envisioned.

I know that's a decent price, but my main issue is that I was almost sold on using the Sony Education store to get the i74650U (w/ on board HD5000) for about 1850 shipped. That obviously includes Sony's 30 day return policy, along with full 1 year warranty.

Basically, do you all think the extra performance of the chip and/or HD 5000 graphics is worth the extra $350? To reference, I am coming from the Surface Pro as a baseline of performance. Really, it was a beast, but it just had bad battery life.

So to condense to a list of easily answerable questions...
1)Is the i74650U + HD5000 worth the extra 350?
2)Would you buy a new (open box) Duo 13 i7 for 1500? (eBay guarantees against DOA, seller offers 14 days money back).
3)Is Sony's manufacturer warranty linked to a receipt, or do they go the route of tying the hardware warranty to the device's serial # itself?

I've been lurking around this topic for a while, and now I finally have some questions for you fine folks

 

Here is some thoughts about Duo 13 and some knowledge sharing with the best PC in the world.

Microsoft Wedge

I have bought this mouse and it simply doesn't work with a 2.4G Wireless. You will need a 5Ghz to get it working, it is simple as that. I have give it to a friend as a gift, and start learning keyboard shortcuts and using the touchpad, which is great.


Windows 8.1 and Battery

As a MSDN subscriber, I have tested Duo 13 on Windows 8.1 Pro and Enterprise. I do believe that the battery life has increased. It must be due to the fact of Microsoft optimizations to Windows Kernel. So, if you can, do a fresh install of Windows 8.1 (by installing Windows 8 first, read below).
Also, now I got Connected Standby working with less than a few % drain in the morning.


Windows 8.1 Fresh Install

It won't boot on a Windows 8.1 Bootable USB NTFS, you will need to use Rufus to format a FAT32 USB and the UEFI setting. It will install, but after boot you will get a POWER FAILURE blue screen.
So you need to install a fresh copy of Windows 8, and then update to Windows 8.1.
As you will get several enhancements to this version, I highly recommend updating to Windows 8.1 (from a clean install of Windows 8).

Browser/Memory

I was a FF/Chrome user, but this time I had to give IE a new opportunity, so was it.
It is a new browser, disable those plugins that you don't you use, and believe me you won't need Chrome. The integration with SkyDrive (Favorites) and IE Metro is the best.


Storage

If you need more storage, buy a 64GB SD card and kept it inserted in the slot, you can map this to a folder on your C:\ by using Disk Manager. And you put there those files that you don't use frequently, besides using SkyDrive, that will free up to 7GB for free.


Wifi Issue
Forget about the fix, anytime SONY will fix it. Just keep near to a Wireless Point and buy a decent WP device. And enjoy staying offline, like the old days. Excellent to keep disconnected from Facebook and other anti-productivity distracting tools .

 

ok today I noticed something weird I hear a noise sound coming from the left speaker (like click or tick sound) when I open anything with sound (it will tick click ) befor the thing I play start even before windows shutdown or restart (of course if mute the sound it wil disappear ) I don't know if I should go back to sony or not ?

 

Take a look at this message on this Thread: 7th September 2013, 09:48 AM.
I suggest you to read the entire thread.

 

i noticed my wi-fi has gotten worse over the past two days that i've owned this device... sometimes, the adapter would just die on me completely and can't even diagnose it or see the available connections even if it says that there are... so i decided to try the "fix" that was posted about 20 pages back; something about command prompt and minimum power consumption being disabled...

my question is this: would this lead to greater battery loss?? right now i'm getting 8 hours tops on casual browsing... i was really hoping to push it to 10 hours but haven't done it yet... could you give me some tips please on how to maximize the battery life aside from dimming the screen and doing less intensive tasks?? maybe i missed some important settings or something?

Thanks

 

... I have 270mbps peak as written before...
Just a few tweaks on router and wifi card.

 

Came across with your post here.. Did u find a solution for how to unlock mobile broadcom modem with at&t??

 

i bought this: Tucano Expanded Work_out Tasche für Notebooks, MacBook: Amazon.de: Computer & Zubehör
the duo13 fits in perfect and is very good protected. there is also enoguh space for everything else (power supply etc)

 

Thanks for the recommendation. Did you get a screen protector or keyboard cover also?

 

I have been an owner of the Vaio Duo 11 since release day and looking to replace it with something better. I was wondering how is the Duo 13's palm rejection? It was ok on my Vaio Duo 11 when I used one note but it would zoom every now and then and it got annoying. Also wanted better battery life and the Duo 13 seems to have it.

I also want to know how the panel in the Duo 13 is like because my Duo 11 after 11 months of ownership started to have some issues such as burn in a flickering that just became unacceptable to me. I brought it in to the Sony store and they sent it away for repair. I got it back and the screen still has burn in issues. Does the Duo 13 have this problem?

Last but not least I want the i7 model as that is what I had with my Duo 11 and was wondering how the battery life is? I know engadget tested the i5 and got roughly 9:40 I was just wondering what the i7 is around.

Thanks.

 

Thx for your kind opinions on the Duo and Flip. I was very impressed with the Duo's slider mechanism when I saw it in person. I'll have to wait for the Flip to come out to test it's flip mechanism. And, Higgins, you've convinced me that even someone like me can make good use of tablet mode.

 

i have the i7-4650 and i'm getting about 8 to 9 hours of use... but that includes dimming the screen and just casual browsing for the most part... i have yet to run the powercfg on the command prompt... i'm planning on a fresh install so i haven't installed the latest Win 8 updated nor the Sony updates either so there may still be some improvements with the battery life (hopefully) in the future...

 

i just had an interesting chat with a sony rep this morning... i was asking her about the wi-fi issues on the duo 13 and she told me that they've been working hard with sony engineers to have a "permanent fix" on this issue... she also told me that their plan in the coming weeks is to offer a free external wi-fi adapter (i'm guessing USB) to users who have persisting problems with the wi-fi...

i'm not sure if that's all finalized but that would be an interesting solution from Sony; but that would mean eating up one usb slot on the duo...

 

I constantly write with my palm on the screen and I can say that the palm rejection is very fair. It's not as great as I would like it to be, but I never get frustrated over any unintended touch. Occasionally the screen might move slightly while writing in OneNote, but this is again very occasional and only a slight annoyance. I also use the touch screen with pen in hand often (to pan around, etc., etc.), so in those cases it's helpful that the pen won't be recognized until it's closer to the screen.

 

nope nothing. i just put it into the bag and for me thats safe enough because its an extra bag where the duo gets in without any sharp things like a zipper. i put my other things like keys etc in the outer bag.

i can make some pictures if u want to

 

Send my DUO back cause of the WIFI issue. Got it for a really good price (4500U, 8GB, 256GB for 1600€, normally its about 2k).I'm curious if there is a permanent fix, but I kind of doubt it. Did they fix the Pro?
Looking forward to the Flip 13, only downsides: No GPS, no UMTS and I still dont know the battery life. If it would be the same as the DUO 13 it would be perfect.

 

Hey all take a look. As a non USA citzen, can you check it out what the solution he is talking about? You will need to enter on community.sony.com and get an Account to reply Mr. Pat with private message.

Vaio Duo 13 Wifi Problem - No Wireless-N, Low data... - Page 25 - Sony Community


Re: Vaio Duo 13 Wifi Problem - No Wireless-N, Low data rates [ New ]
.
All,



We are very close in our investigation for the slow download and the drop connection issue. This is all the details I can give you at this moment and again there will be a solution in the near future. We'll update you as soon as possible.



Please private message me if you are located in the United States and you have the DUO13 with D/C or slow download issue. If you live in the united states then I do have a work around for you until we have a long term solution.



Sony Community Manager
Sr. Software Engineer
Peter Tat

 

i would call him but i feel like he'll just offer me a free usb wifi (which isn't bad lol) since that's what the girl i spoke with told me; i'll try tomorrow though see what he says..

anyway just an update on my wifi... for some reason i noticed it's not dropping anymore... in fact, when i'm in my room i'm consistently getting 3 bars now (as opposed to 1 bar when i first got this three days ago)... also on speedtest it says 12down and 6 up which is like double what i was having at my house before lol... although the speed it still somewhat slower than my other vaio laptop; that one can get up to 20up easily... also it has never dropped a connection for two straight days now... usually when i resume from sleep the wifi would just disconnect and the adapter itself will not work unless i restart... now, no matter how long i keep it on sleep, it will still be able to keep the wifi connection... i hope i don't jinx it lol...

 

Hello,

I have problem with fresh install of windws 8 - windows does not activates after he install. Here are the steps I followed:

1) Download the MSDN version of windows 8 pro - the same version duo come with
1) create the USB recovery drive
1) Enter the bios, switch secure boot off and boot from USB on
1) erase everything and install windows
1) open control panel and click "activate"

1) Get an "error 0x8007007B" mesage (

May be it hapened because I've downloaded wrong windows 8 image? If you had successfully did fresh install and managed to activate windows - could you please describe how had you did it? I had about 90GB free after my unsucessfull fresh install and only ~75GB after a creepy vaio care recovery process.
Thanks.

 

It could be wrong iso image.
Did you download 32 or 64bit version?

Sent from my Sony Tablet S using Tapatalk 4

 

Nah you don't have to go to the trouble of taking pics. I got an idea from your description. Thanks.

 

It seems the wifi problem is more serious than a simple driver update can fix, After being told that a update would be released fixing the problem (2 months ago I might add)I've just received a email from Sony asking me to send the duo 13 in through a courier for a repair.

 

After hours of calls in last 2 days, finally they agree to take my duo 13 back (no return policy for customized computer). Don't believe there is a software fix, it's hardware problem, either carbon fiber blocks signal or internal antenna. Sony will keep telling you there is a solution coming soon until next version of duo13/pro13 out. one honest tech support told me currently no solution, but they can offer me a free usb adaptor, I refused.

 

just as i had suspected... all they're offering right now is a free wi-fi usb adapter... someone at the sony community website is saying they're gonna release a new model of the duo 13 which will contain a different wifi adapter... that would suck if they do that...

 

I guess i was one of the lucky ones.
My wi-fi is fine (4 bars, 1 wall), but i have that coil whine buzz (top left corner behind the screen).
It seems to come in when it's idle (net or cpu).
I'm wondering if i can edit the minimum processor state (to single out the cpu), but they seem to have removed the option to edit it in the power management.
Any ideas/solutions?

 

have anyone unlocked svd13 with at&t broadband internet ?? it comes unlocked or how???

 

Just received this email from Sony. Does anyone know if this will be for a different model or any details? I will email them and ask them also and share any feedback here:


Thank you for contacting Sony regarding the VAIO with serial number [deleted]

We are sending you this email because we heard from our marketing campaign that the Wi-Fi of your SVD13 does not meet your satisfactory level.


Therefore, we created a case under reference number [deleted] and we deem it necessary to arrange for your VAIO to visit our repair centre for diagnosis and in-warranty repair.


Please read carefully the terms and conditions below and email me the details needed to book a pickup order for you.

A) Repair terms:

1. We highly recommend that you back up all your data, settings and applications before having the VAIO collected to be dispatched for repair, as Sony will not be responsible for any data loss.
2. You can use the below link for backing up your data. This link mentions alternatives for backing up your data in case you were unable to do so due to a complete system failure – Link: Sony Support Europe
3. If the VAIO is diagnosed as falling outside the terms of guarantee (Faulty due to physical damage, liquid spillage or software malfunction), then the repair will be treated as 'Out Of Warranty' and will be chargeable. Then the repair team will contact you with a quote, If you decide NOT to proceed with the repair procedure after receiving the repair quote, then a 'return unrepaired' fee will be applied, which covers diagnosis, logistics, and Labour costs.
4. The turnaround time for the repair process should be within 5 working days on average. The duration of the turnaround time might vary depending on the parts availability during the time of the repair.
5. In case the VAIO is returned back with any Physical issue, please report this to us within 5 working days after receiving the VAIO back from repair.
6. Any parts replaced in the repair centre become the property of Sony “As any faulty part will be exchanged with a Brand new Original part”. In case you wish to restore any replaced part, please notify us before your VAIO gets collected, as you would need to pay a certain amount, which would be decided by the repair centre.


B) Collection Instructions:

1. The courier will arrive with a box; kindly ensure to pack the VAIO yourself. In case the driver did not arrive with a box, please do not give him the VAIO and just contact us back.
2. Please make sure that the Courier provides you with a proof of collection document/ form.
3. Remove all peripherals or 3rd Party Hardware from your VAIO before it gets collected (Memory Sticks, DVD’s, dongles etc.). Also be mindful that the A/C Adaptor “VAIO Charger” and battery are not needed unless there is a suspected power issue with your VAIO. E.g. “VAIO does not power on”.


C) Details needed for collection:



1. VAIO serial number “Which can be located at the back of your VAIO”.
2. Preferred/ convenient date for collection. Please be mindful that we can collect on weekdays only “Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 17:00”.
3. The address for collection. In case you require a separate/ different return address, please indicate that in your reply/ response.
4. Preferred Contact phone number and an alternative one if available.
5. Windows login username, password and the BIOS password if you have set one.
6. Please include a brief description about the issue you are experiencing with your VAIO.

Should you have any further questions or queries, please feel free to reply to this email or contact us on the numbers below:

Yours sincerely
Mohamed Badr
Sony Customer Support
Sony Europe Limited

Email: via Camera, HD TV, Blu-ray, MP3 player, laptop | Sony
Phone: 0844 8466 555
Phone: VAIO out of warranty - 0905 031 0006 (35p/min plus network charges)
Phone: Ireland in warranty /out of warranty numbers: 01407 3040 / 1530 501002 (33 cent/min plus network charges)

Sony United Kingdom and Ireland, a division of Sony Europe Limited.
A company registered in England and Wales. Registered office:
The Heights, Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 0XW
Registered company number: 2422874

 

^^ Should be for all duo 13 models as they all seem to suffer the same Wi-Fi problem, I received the exact same email I wonder if they will go as far as Changing the adaptor if there going to recall all the duos?

 

hi everyone, can i use 128gb SD HC card for vaio duo 13? it can work or not? thanks u

 

wifi's working well to me, full bar same like my old acer laptop and ipad 4

 

Did you both get the Duo 13 in the UK? I also got it from Sony Europe (online) but live in Switzerland. Did you buy standard models or customized ones? So far I didn't get any email from Sony...

 

Although everyday I have more and more to say about the Duo 13, I'd like to update my comments on the pen holder.

I've come to the conclusion that the pen "holder" (the optional part that you can slide your pen's clip into) must have been a mere last thought sloppily thrown into the Duo 13. In my original comment I gripe about how loose fitting the clip is while in the holder, but that's not really an issue, especially when compared to the looseness of the holder when inserted into the Duo 13. Simply, it's too easy for the holder itself to pop out of the duo if the pen is slightly pushed or snagged (which both happen easily). It's annoying and does little to make me feel secure in where my pen is and I've almost lost it twice now in the month I've had the Duo 13 because the holder popped out. Here's a picture of me slightly pushing on the pen and consequently what happens to the holder:


I don't know if there's any home made solution to this, but if there is, it would be great to hear it. I'm fairly disappointed with the pen holder, though it's nice that they at least considered it on this high-end machine.

 

Completely agree.

Something Sony could do (or perhaps should have done from the beginning instead of this half baked solution), is to come out with a leather/pleather, form fitting, folio style case for the DUO13 (the type that you don't need to remove the system from in order to use - just open the flap , pull the pen from a purpose built slot in the folio and go).

If not Sony, it would be a great opportunity for a third party (assuming it's actually worth it to produce).

 

Hello guys. I have been trying to remedy a 3G problem I have with my Vaio Duo 13.

It doesn't seem to work with the Three network (UK). What happens is when I boot up with it in I get an error code 10 in device manager saying that the device could not start and im unable to see the usual Mobile Broadband above where the WIFI connections are.

Every other SIM i've tried seems to work fine (Tmobile, 02, Vodafone). Its not just the one 'three' SIM either I have tried 3 and they all have the above behaviour.

Is there anybody from the UK with a sim card from Three try turning off their Duo and inserting a three SIM and booting, restarting just to see if it works?

Thanks

 

I was actually thinking about something along those same lines. It'd be great to have a nice case that could stay on the Duo 13 even during use, not only for the pen, but for the added protection. Although the build quality does feel solid, I am not looking forward to the day if and when I drop my Duo 13. I carry my Duo 13 in my backpack while in college, I don't need to be taking it out of the backpack, then a case each time. One of the things I love about the Duo 13 is how versatile it is. Some may beg to differ considering its lack of different screen angles, but the effortless transition to a flat tablet into an efficient laptop and vice versa is extremely productive, and I find myself doing it constantly without annoyance. A slip/zipper case would not be conducive to that.

It kills me to complain about certain aspects of the Duo, because I absolutely adore it and that adoration has not subsided in the least bit over the course of the past month. But problems are problems.

 

Yes mine is from the UK, however they may not have a model wide recall so you would have to report the problem to them for them to replace it. I have a Win Pro, 8GB Memory, 256GB Hard drive model.

 

Did you choose the different components (customized model) or did you choose a preconfigured model? I'm asking because as written by other people they might not like to repair custom models...

 

Hey guys, I was wondering how much RAM your Duo 13's are using immediately upon start up. I have 1.8 gigs of RAM being used immediately out of my 8, is this normal? I don't see any processes that use or add up to even close to that, so I'm sort of worried.

 

After waiting weeks (and still waiting) for an official recovery media kit (they sent me the wrong one first) I decided to take another attempt to install Windows 8.1 RTM from a USB memory stick using the whole hard disk space (all partitions deleted). Its actually not that difficult if you know what drivers are needed but it takes some time to prepare everything:

1. Get a copy of Win 8.1 RTM (I used the one floating around on bittorrent)
2. Use a tool called Rufus to prepare a memory stick for UEFI boot (this also copies all content of the Win8.1 DVD to the stick), instructions here:
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-create-windows.html
3. Add an unattend response file (autounattend.xml) to the root of the memory stick (see here: http://pastebin.com/PuZ5unfQ)
4. Create a "drivers" folder on the root of the memory stick where you place all drivers needed
5. Download the following drivers from the Sony support website (for the model SVD1321CE5, choose other model if needed):
http://www.sony.ch/support/de/product/SVD1321C5E/downloads/preinstalled_drivers_win8_8788
http://www.sony.ch/support/de/product/SVD1321C5E/downloads/preinstalled_drivers_win8_8789
http://www.sony.ch/support/de/product/SVD1321C5E/downloads/EP0000301660_8841
6. Use a tool called Universal Extractor to extract the drivers out of the Sony EXE files, instructions here:
http://win1337ist.wordpress.com/2012/08/08/how-to-extract-sony-exe-drivers/
7. Copy all three drivers to the "drivers" folder on the memory stick (from the Broadcom driver you only need the files in the drivers\x64 folder)
8. When your Duo13 is completly switched off start it with the "Assist" button and choose to boot from a USB media. No need to change anything in the bios
9. Once Windows installed, install other drivers from Sony website. Don't install the Intel HD graphic card driver though but search on Google for the beta driver for Windows 8.1 from Intel directly. Also apply the SATA registry fix from Sony (without the fix my DUO froze sometimes over night)!

Hope that helps if anyone is interested. Maybe you wont need all three drivers but that's what worked for me....

 

Hi folks,

Happy to report that my i74500U 256gb has no wifi issues at all

 

As said previously, I managed to get 270mbps with some tweaking.
The issue is not hardware (linked to Sony), it is the choice of a specific broadcom chip which is designed for tablets (=not so much for intensive downloads), and that manage all wifi, all bluetooth, all bands by switching over the same antenna.

If you want to get high bandwidth, there are some tweaks to do on both router (or AP) & the computer. Then it works much better.

 

Hi guys!

I've called to Sony Support in my country (Czech rep.) and they sent me a messenger with a box and now my Duo is on the way to Alsace France. I hope they fix it, 'cos it's really great device.

Anyway, just call to your Sony Support and tell them about your problems with Duo 13/Pro. They have a report in their system that these models have WiFi issues and they will send your VAIO to repair or they will do some magic with that. ;-)

 

For those with gps built in is their any apps that show how many satlight you are connected too and the connection strength.

John

 

This is not a Vaio specific issue, but have any owners had any issues with Intel's infamous USB 3.0 Haswell bug? They say the bug is isolated only to flashdrives (for those aren't aware, the bug causes the computer to not recognise certain brands of flash drives after waking from sleep state). If it really is isolated only to flashdrives, I wouldn't be concerned. However, I'm worried the problem might extend to other peripherals, especially USB docking hubs with video output. I keep reading in reviews that a lot of people are having problems with various brands of docking hubs, and I'm starting to wonder if this bug is the culprit.

Intel has certainly not been entirely forthcoming about this bug so I'm not confident that what they have reluctantly said so far is the true extent of the problem. A USB hub seems to be the only way to set up dual monitors on the Duo. If I get a Duo, I might have to wait for the 2nd generation chipset.

 

flatulatorX:

The USB bug is only for 2-chip platforms. The U series and Y series were fixed before release because its all on package.

The bug specifically says the problem happens when you have a file in a USB drive open and then you sleep without closing it, the file will crash and you'll have to reopen the file.

The compatibility issue is probably related to fast wake up and suspend that's available in these systems.

 

Wifi issue in the UK.

We'll, I had my email from SONY stating that they would like to take a look at my vaio and possibly repair it. I am assuming they no exactly what they are doing, and not just going to try and fault find. The email did not state that there was a problem, just that they would have a look.

Hopefully the courier is going to come on Friday to pick up the duo.

 

Hummm looks like this is incorrect.
I checked my CPU with CPU-Z and it is the one with the flaw on the peripheral.
I can not use my USB3 case with a SSD connected to the duo 13 with a USB3 cable : windows try to mount the drive & fails systematically.
To access data (read/write) I need to use a USB2 cable, then it works.

On the contrary I have a targus docking station USB3, my setup has :
- 1 x 24" full-hd connected to Vaio hdmi
- 1 x 24" full-hd connected to docking station
I tried to put a 3rd 24" full-hd to the dvi port of docking station it worked as well.
Everything is ok with the docking station.

 

So two months later I'm still wondering where to stick the pen. Having it clipped to the useless stand, I'm getting really paranoid about when I'll finally break it off. I have thought of a couple of alternative places I could clip the pen (by printing a USB socket clip) but it would obscure some sockets / slots. Anyone had any good ideas?

 

Thanks for the detailed guide, but I have an issue with latest Intel drivers and touch keyboard.
Pop-op keyboard appears every time I try to type something in modern UI apps - even if hardware keyboard is opened. Did you had this issue?

 

That's a Windows 8 issue, it happens on many convertibles.