Sony Vaio Duo 13 Owners Thread

I've had it in sleep for an hour and a half, did one Onenote page, rebooted and it's showing me 99%.

 

posted this on the duo11 forum but might make more sense here, if anyone has moved from the 11 to the 13..

So, I was on here around february complaining about my screen flickering, and about the stylus accuracy and to a lesser extent the barely functional keyboard, it was a case of heartbreak really as I love my duo 11.
Then the ghosting started happening after I'd institutionalised myself into using the screen on low brightness or high brightness to avoid the flicker, and typing less. I use it for graphics work, and the burn in got so bad it was effecting my ability to use it, comparing photos and renders for differences and not knowing if they're different because the screen is misbehaving..

I phoned sony, on listing the faults, flickering, random phantom screen presses, wireless drop out, and then screen burn (plus a fallen off Z key), and they've taken it in for repair. Amusingly and infuriatingly, they have done the repairs, but cannot send it back as they have no 'speaker grills'. Apparently there are none in the world, there is no 'ETA' on the parts becoming available, and my Vaio Duo 11 is now on a rack in a warehouse probably not unlike the one at the end of Raiders of the Lost Arc...

I'm currently trying to get them to send it back without any speaker grills, I live with a jeweller and I'm a master craftsman, I'm sure I could make some. What a load of faffing just to get a computer...... It really is/was the best computer ever really, but so sad it has been plagued by these faults.

MY QUESTION...

I had budgeted for this to last me a few years, picking it up on ebay for £750 last december. A friend is in the states, and could bring me back a DUO 13, which at $1200 off amazon comes in at £750. Then, if I ever get my duo 11 back and repaired, I could try and sell it, hopefully for over £450. I think I could stomach having to pay an extra £300 if it meant no flickering screen, no image burn in, no wifi dropouts, no phantom screen presses.. and gaining a 9 hour battery life would be great. I much prefer the design of the duo 11, it seems more industrail ninja, the new one seems a bit tacky. So, I could keep the 11 and just hope it doesn't keep on falling to bits, or bite the bullet and get rid of it for the 13. The samsung q whatever looked great but has been abandoned due to copywrite issues (perhaps because it is exactly the same as the duo 11..), but otherwise there seems nothing on the market as good. I'm a total convert to the form factor, the closer touch screen, trackpads are crap in my view (for any actual work) and really not bothered about having a traditional laptop again, they seem so limiting.

Advice is most welcome my vaio duo brothers and sisters, should I stay on board with the 11 or get a lot poorer but maybe less crazed and get the 13. (which also has wifi apparently but you have to assume they'll fix it..?)

And why no f**king display port! I want to plug in my dell u27 2560x1440 monitor! (the ill fated q had a display port I think)..

rant over. I'd need to put in the order for the duo 13 tomorrow for my new plan to work...

 

Update: Had it off AC and in sleep since the time I posted the last post above, did another Onenote page and rebooted, 92%.

Whoever's showing that much drain as 5%/hour in 8.1, there is clearly a problem. I updated all my drivers off the Sony site manually BTW.

 

From what I understand newer models of the duo 13 do not have wifi issues.

Mine certainly doesn't.

The duo 13 doesn't suffer from the same screen issues as the 11 (which are attributed to the cheap ips panel in that model.

An upgrade to the 13 should make you happy.

Sony really did a great job with the 13 in stepping the slider form factor forward. Great screen to weight ratio. Great battery life (I clock in at 6.5 to 7 hours).

I advise it.


Sent from my One using Tapatalk

 

Anyone having trouble with screen rotation? My screen seems to no longer rotate. Not that I use it in portrait at all...

Sent from my One using Tapatalk

 

Did you have WiFi on all the time? I can only manage that if I put the vaio in airplane mode.

Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk

 

Check what applications you are running. Skype eats battery like crazy during "sleep". Way to go Microsoft...

With my Duo, it typically lost 5% battery per hour with Skype running and 1-2% per hour without while sleeping.

 

Two Vaio Duo 13's bought at the Sony Shop on 5th Avenue in NYC in September--with what looks like relative new serial numbers--have the WiFi problem. Our company was looking at them to decide on a larger purchase and eliminated them based on the WiFi problem. Sony tried to help providing three different patches, but nothing worked or has worked yet. Positive side is I get to use on of the two Duo 13s for free, but I would never use this as my first traveling computer/tablet. Other reasons is screen calibration needs to be done regularly and since Windows 8 upgrade face recognition does not work. Also must personally say I am not impressed with Sony support. They are friendly enough, but lack the expertise to solve problems that I would expect from any big company today. All said Duo 13 (mine had 256 GB HD and 8 GB RAM) is not a bad machine but has some serious design problems that Sony seems not to want to face up to.

 

Does anyone else have a face recognition camera problem? Since upgrading to windows 8.1 only the back camera comes on, thus face recognition does not work. Sony asked me to try several fixes that included reloading drivers, camera firmware and face recognition software, but none of them worked. Any ideas?

 

That is great but when I called Sony support they said nothing could be done...TWICE...about the WiFi problem because it was not a reported issue for them. Can you tell me which support number you called and maybe who you spoke to?

 

Skype running, sent to sleep, 1.75 hours, rebooted, 98%.

 

Mine is a very recent unit that arrived just two days ago and came with Windows 8.1 preinstalled. It has no WiFi issues and face recognition works as expected...

 

I think the only ones with Windows 8.1 preinstalled are made to order units. This was the reason that I did not purchase a pre-configured one off the shelf as there is no knowing when it was built. I have ordered mine yesterday and am hopping that Sony has made some changing to their production line to ensure that new units do not have wifi issues.

 

I went to look at a duo 13 today in view of selling my 11 to upgrade.

The screen is so grainy, and the viewing angles are terrible, if you move your head the whole screen changes, white is totally uneven across the screen. The 13" vaio pro screen is also really grainy, and both have pretty bad backlight bleed. Is this normal or was the one in the shop just really bad?
Despite the burn in issues on the duo 11 the quality of the image is considerably better. Work-wise comparing renders and images the screen on the duo 13 I saw would be really problematic. Almost like an old TN panel. Overall I was disappointed with it and would go for a surface pro 2 instead if only it were 11".

On a side note, there was an 11" acer ultrabook in there that seemed about 10mm thick with a lovely aluminium cover. Nicest looking little computer I've ever seen..

 

i don't have Skype running... i only use Firefox, and i always make sure to close apps when i'm done using them (usually OneNote and Note Anytime)... however, today i was only able to eke out 4 hours... 4 freaking hours!!!!!!!!! this is really frustrating... i'm losing as much as 20% per hour!?!??!?!?!??! i'm really really thinking about calling Sony but i feel like they're just gonna want me to send in my duo which i can't since i'll be out of the country for the next two weeks...

this is really starting to get frustrating... components don't work upon startup, wifi is horrible, battery is horrible, i mean what the heck!??!

 

I'm a hardware editor that reviewed the Vaio Duo 13 and complained about the wifi-performance. So i've been in direct contact with Sony here in Norway.

But my gut feeling is that the problem is more wide spread than Sony will admit, and they don't want to talk to loud about it unless asked directly by the press (and not end users...). I was earlier in touch with the regular end-user support in the nordics, which said that there was a known problem (but according to Sony now, the customer service was "mis-informed" about the problem been fixed etc etc).

 

Are you running 8.1? When did you upgrade?

 

I would agree. Still. Not seeing anything else in market that I'm more happy with.


Sent from my One using Tapatalk

 

Are you sure you were looking at the right machine? A Pro isn't a Duo.

 

Yes I do. I upgraded a few days it came out. I did notice that most of my problems began after I upgraded. I believe I have all the latest drivers from Sony.

 

I did take the nuclear option since I was having a few small problems (though not the battery problems) - i.e. blew away the install with a complete reset. The major difference is that if you use VAIO Update, the updates for 8.1 are on it so you can do it entirely 'the legit way' if you will. Make sure you update VAIO Update FULLY before you upgrade to 8.1, then run the updates for as many times as you need to.

For me, WiDi doesn't work but that appears to be it (I'm assuming those updated drivers aren't on VAIO Update). I'm done with these manual driver updates. Have a similar problem with the Tablet 2, I'm just going to wait until all the drivers are updated on Lenovo Update and then blow everything away and do the same reinstall.

 

Hi,I got my Duo 13 and I have noise problem too, and I am sure everyone who has Duo with i7 has same problem but they can't realise it.This is my second day with Duo,when I unboxed,and most probably you, I setup the computer so CPU cant went idle but after a while I heard it and googled it and saw I am not alone.So far I haven't find a solution on the internet but as some others found I hypothesized its occuring when CPU goes idle.Most probably its because Intel's stupid power regulation.In order to reduce power consumpiton it changes CPU frequency and it causes this annoying noise.Because its a laptop we have limited BIOS so I cant interfere CPU but I turn off the XHCI and Intel AT System, and turn on the first Intel option(I couldnt remember its name but its about virtualisation technology which is used in server systems) and its nearly gone.So please try it and share your results with me.

PS:I am working on 8.1.

 

Apparently, sony have. Fixed the wifi issue :

Wireless LAN Config Data Update Program
What does it fix?
Fix the indication problem for antenna level of network icon.

So now, it shows your network strength + a few extra bars for good measure LOL

 

Speaking as a noisenik, I have to say that while I do hear it (I assume it's the noise from the rear of the unit), it's not been egregious enough for me to worry too much about it.

 

I'm beyond "noisenik".

 

If you think that the Duo 13 is noisy, then I don't know how you manage to use any mobile tech the Duo is dead silent for me 90% of the time. Although, I also have the i7, and only did notice it when holding the back grill to my ear. I have my laptop set to max performance in all modes, so maybe it does not throttle as much?

 

I could understand if it's the only thing in a deathly quiet room - e.g. you live in a one room apartment or you have your laptop plugged in near your bed in a hotel - it could be the focus for irritation. Having said that it actually relatively rarely seems to occur in my case.

 

So with the wifi problem still not fixed, have you guys resigned to using a USB dongle?

 

Hi all,

Wifi-Problem again... I updated everything with my SVD1321C5E, but to no avail. Still
- miserable Wifi-rate
- more drops in WiFi when using BT
- drops in WiDi

Question:
Does anyone know if the BCM4324 Wifi-card is in the new M.2- Format (NGFF)? Sony never answered me that one. Being so frustrated with the Wifi ruining it for my, I wanted to exchange the card with an Intel 7260. I asked Sony to do it, but they said that they would only exchange it to a device of their choice to make sure it works perfectly with the Duo 13. Right. As if the BCM worked "perfectly"... So much for choosing wisely before going into mass production, Sony.

So, has anyone tried to exchange the card? Is it PCIe Half Mini or M.2 (NGFF)?

(And hell NO, I will not resign to using a USB dongle. Not with a 1.5k € machine... Shame on Sony for their incompetence, disinformation and apparent disregard of their consumers´ problems...)


EDIT: Or won't that solution help either? Found rumours about bad placement of antennas in the Vaio Pro. Does this apply to the Duo 13 as well?
https://communities.intel.com/thread/44353


Best regards

kuchlbauer1

 

I have the same model, but I don't have Wifi problems at least to that extend. How did you install your updates? Did you do them manually or via Sony update program?

I have noticed also that some firmware updates have actually have made the wifi worse.

I will ask just in case. Have you already removed all the McAffee related software?

How old is your Wi-fi transmitter / modem?

edit. added text to the first phrase and the last question?

 

I'm not sure if it makes anyone feel better about it, but after extensively walking around and testing the post-driver-update Duo 13 is actually very slightly better (by about 2db @ ~10m from AP) than the supposedly 'fixed' Haswell Barbiebook Air which no-one seems to be complaining about after, again, Apple 'fixed' it. The Surface Pro 2 isn't much better than these two either.

In absolutes though - e.g. when I compare with the Tablet2 or the Elitebooks - all the above suck. All are, interestingly, basically relatively early Haswell notebooks.

 

I flattened the SSD and installed Win8Pro, now 8.1Pro. All updates were installed by hand, none via Sony Update.
Firmware updates all done.
No McAffee software onboard.
Had the same problems with an AVM FritzBox 7270 and a Cisco DPC3925 at home, at work I first could not log on to our WPA2 Enterprise network also using Cisco access points. Now last week it miraculously started to work at work, but still at a very lame "speed". Our IT crowd said that the problem loggin on could have to do with Win8 drivers, others had similar problems and downgraded to Win7 drivers and that worked. Not for me though as there aren't any BCM4324 drivers for Win7. Anyway, that works now, but still painfully slow.

Any ideas? Can it be the bad placement of antennas? Or the card itself? And why is Sony so silent...???

kuchlbauer1

 

I think - as I mentioned above - part of the problem may be that you did it manually.

 

Mkay. I wanted to flatten it again anyway. Go from the start and then only use Sony Update... See what that does. When I get the time... :-(

Thanks!

PS: Are you quoting Eddie Izzard???

 

Hello there, i have some question for anyone that bought a customized Vaio Duo 13.

When you order it, it come with the AC adapter? or you have to add it for $79.99?? I'm really close to buy one, but i want to know if they charge for this AC. It will be no fun buying a custom one, with better specs and not having a way to charge it xD!

Also, how is the pen for taking notes? is the wifi issue solved already?

What others similar option are in the market, that are the same or better that the Vaio duo 13, in term of functionality, touchscreen, 13 inch screen and a good digitizer?.

And finally, are you satisfied with this product?, because in the end is kinda expensive.

Thank you!

 

anyone tried to get the keys out of keyboard? i never did it and would be great if someone could give a hint how to do it (or maybe a tutorial of a smiliar keyboard system)
my left ctrl key stucks all the time and so i can't use the keyboard anymore... really annoying sh*t

 

Yes, it comes with the AC adapter
Pen works great for taking notes. I highly recommend MS One Note.
My Duo 13 is custom built, wifi works great.
The Duo 13 is better than any computer I've owned/used/tried. I take it with me everywhere.

 

So pretty much, I just got my Duo 13 yesterday and I gotta say that this is one hell of an awesome machine. The screen is phenomenal, the battery life is amazing and the keyboard/mouse are surprisingly useable.

There is one giant issue for me though and that is the "Configurable" buttons on the pen. I basically require that one of the buttons on the pen be configured to act as the spacebar being pressed down. So a simple keystroke mapped to one of the two buttons and we are good to go.

From what I can find these "Configurable" buttons aren't actually configurable. When I first got my machine I could choose to turn off the program launching when the buttons are pressed, where after I did a couple system updates I lost this option. So im really hoping someone on here has had some success with configuring these buttons b/c this may very well be a deal breaker for me.

I was able to pretty easily get this done when using the Wacom stylus on the surface pro 2, so I wasn't expecting this to be an impossible feat. If im missing something I would really appreciate the help b/c I truly love this machine so far. Thanks!

 

Something interesting i've found involves my use with the preinstalled Artrage Studio Pro where holding down the lower pen button allows you to navigate the page. This is the exact interaction that I am trying to replicate in a tool i use called Axure. With a Wacom pen i am able to map the button to the spacebar key, however being able to map a key to the button seems to be much more difficult with these Ntrig pens.

 

Anyone else finding that the top left hand side of their screen lifts up more than the right?

I've seen other people referring to this problem and wondered how many there were. It's always been a factor but recently it seems to have started curling up more for me and since I do use it a lot in the flat position it's slightly annoying. One of those 'shouldn't be here on a machine of this class' things.

 

i'm having this problem too and i haven't found a fix either... does anybody know??

another issue is that i can't seem to generate battery reports any longer; when i try to click the html file, IE says page cannot be displayed; same thing with Firefox...

i'm back from my trip so i'll probably call sony tomorrow and see if i can finally return this thing which is turning out to be a big POS!!!

 

You should install the fast access face recognition software updates from sony support site. That should fix the problem.

 

Hello all,
Got my duo today (a couple of hours ago). Everything was working ok, nothing much to update as came with 8.1 pre installed.

I booted it in safe mode and now the mouse cannot be seen and the touch screen doesn't work either so stuck in safe mode.

Any suggestions ?

 

Hold down the power button for about 8-10 seconds. It will force the laptop to shutdown.

You can choose in what mode you want to start the laptop by pressing the "assist" button from the bottom of your Duo 13 instead of the power button. Just once after the computer is shutdown.

Hope this helps

 

Update: Disregard this post, there were some weird errors in my updates that I fixed.

I'm running into very serious problems I haven't run into before. For some reason I can no longer adjust the brightness and when I click the sleep button, the screen turn blacks but doesn't actually turn off. This is unsettling and I'm not sure what to do. Obviously I've restarted several times and updated everything. Any advice?

 

Thank you. I had to do a complete restore and now things are ok (ish). Mine is 256 SSD, 8GB ram and windows 8.1 pro. I have been reading this thread since it was started (before the actual launch of the duo). I know a lot of people are having problems with wifi and I was extremely worried about it but decided to get the CTO unit. The strange thing is that my connection speed is the same everywhere although the bars on the wifi icon fluctuate between 2 o 5. I have 30 MB broadband and when I have 2 bars, by actual broadband speed is 29.21 MB. I get the icon fluctuating between 2 and 4 bars when I am upstairs and away from the router.

On a slightly different note, I can not see the programs I pin to the taskbar. When I right click them I can see that they are pinned to the taskbar (as I get the option to unpin), but they do not show on the task bar. I have used the registry to refresh the task and toolbars but still the same problem exists. Anyone else have this? any solutions?

 

Dunno - a lot of the problems seem to be that many of you guys are operating beyond your technical comfort zone perhaps without being aware of it, when you don't have to.

Do the restore, don't do manual driver updates but use VAIO Update, then do the 8.1 update, then run VAIO Update again however many times you have to.

I've done 3+ restores on my machine now to help out a friend also with a Duo 13 sort out the procedure, and the situation basically came down to him thinking he was smarter than he was. I let the onboard tools do their job and it comes out OK every time now.

 

Hey everyone. Proud new owner of a (SLIGHTLY) used vaio duo 13. LOVE IT!
I do however like to adjust my devices so they suit me, so I may come here to post things i have found and look for things others have.
So here is one thing i didnt like. (i didnt search this whole thread so it might have been addressed before but i dont know)
There was hardly any fling-inertia on my machine. In other words when I'm looking at a long webpage and i fling from the bottom of the screen upward, to scroll down, it doesnt keep going after my finger lets up. I couldnt find ANYTHING to fix this.
Finally i searched the registry and found folder for TOUCH
It has several values that you can change to adjust different aspects.
directory is hkey current user\ software\ microsoft\ wisp\ touch
Friction is what we are interested in here. Mine was set to 50, which is out 64 which would be the highest friction setting. This makes the scrolling stop very quickly after finger let up.
I set it to 5 and it is so very much more fluid. This applies to the touchscreen only and not the touchpad.
There is also an option for time before right click initiates when holding down your finger on the screen. touchmodeN_HoldTime_BeforeAnimation. This was set to 50 and i changed it to 5 so my right click initiates alot faster now, as i hated how long it took to initiate before.
I'm betting there are more useful settings in the registry that can be changed to improve the experience. Make sure you either backup your registry before you restart or write them down so you remember what you changed.
Note: you have to restart the compy before the changes take affect, but that only takes a few seconds so its not a big deal.

 

I have the same problem, and reinstalling all the drivers and the face recognition software did NOT solve the issue. If anyone has a clue how to solve this please, please, please help us out! I love logging on using the face recognition tool. Losing this capability makes me sad.

 

I had intermittent issue with face recognition. It was not recognising about once in every 4 logins. I downloaded the update from Sony website (Fast access update programme) and now it works fine.

Anyone with 8.1 Pro having issues with pinning programs to taskbar? I am able to pin them but they do not show!