Sony Vaio Z i5/i7 (VPCZ1) Official Owners Thread Part 2

Well, I looked through that thread. It looked familiar (it should, I was part of it ).

Well they all talked about their Z's, older and newer, having the round connector, not the notched one.

I don't believe any Z has the notched connector: here

Z headphone socket

I also believe all Z's have the ability to handle the Sony noise cancelling headphones that ship with some Z's. That thread did not imply otherwise.

 

Guys, really, does anyone know how to increase the bass in the sound driver of the Vaio Z? I don't want just a bass boost in the Media Player, I need bass all around.

Anyone? I'm desperate. Thanks.

 

Buy external speakers or, well, a subwoofer. The built-in speakers are damn small, whatever you do, you wont get any bass out of them.

 

Yeah, I know, but thanks

I'll clarify a bit: I bought a very bass-capable earphones, and I want to add bass to the sound output of the laptop, just like I can easily do with the sound driver properties in my desktop PC. Anyone knows how to do that?

 

Mine is 7.4

 

So do you know or believe that the headphones that come with some Zs don't have that notch? I wouldn't want end up buying a pair only to find out that I bought a pair of headphones that doesn't have any special properties, or worse that I have to file down to at least make it fit the connector.

The idea of having a pair of noise cancelling headphones without yet another battery powered device to carry around is certainly very appealing.

 

Yes. I have a Z11 which came w/the headphones. They do not have that little projection on them. They just have the four bands.

 

Same here. I do not use noise canceling function. But, barring the fact that these earphones are not comfortable and do not isolate well, in terms of sound they beat handily high-ends like Westone 3, Shure E500 that I have. Sony's provide good bass and clear highs, no sibilance at all to my ear.

 

My Z doesn't have a blu-ray drive. I don't have a blu-ray player at home, so I was wondering if it's a good idea to get a USB external blu-ray (is there such thing) and use it with my Z as a blu-ray player to play movies on my HDTV or on the Z's screen. Are there any downsides to this set up? Will the video and audio quality be not as good as a dedicated middle range blu-ray player?

Thanks for checking

 

Well, I disagree. I use them all the time. I fly a lot and on the plane they do a good job of blocking that sort of noise. I find them comfortable, but that is subjective. I guess zugzug doesn't.

I used to use the kind that physically block outside sounds (as opposed to active like these) compared to the various isolation types that I previously used, these are more comfortable.

 

There are external blu ray players (examples here ). In any case, no there shouldn't be a downside to using an external blu ray player other than, well it's annoying to have to carry yet another peripheral. It might even play better considering you got a 330M in your Vaio vs... whatever graphics chips they use in blu-ray players. But playing 1080p movies is good enough on integrated graphics nowadays anyways.

 

Thanks. I will most likely use it at home when watching blu-ray movies on TV This is gonna be useful.

 

For what it's worth, mine is 7,8 but I have a 256GB (Sony VPCZ13Z9E)

 

You must have a quad RAID 256.
I have a dual RAID 256 and it gets 7.3

 

Can some of the vpc-z 12/13 owners give me information about the new world of warcraft cataclysm addon performance?

i´m currently playing on my vgn-z21 but i´m interesting in the performance of the new nvidia chip in newer series...

 

I just got my Z today VPCZ1290X. It arrived a few days earlier than estimated.

Question regarding inexpensive Office 2010 options. I have been searching the forum for hours so maybe someone can give me direction. There seems to be many cheap Office 2010 offers online, but I wonder if they are legit. I need Word, Excel, Powerpnt & Outlook.

Do you any thoughts on the best, legit option to buy Office 2010 (perhaps 32 bit version is better)?

 

I have a VPC-Z13 with:

- Intel® Core™ i7-640M
- 8GB RAM
- 256 SSD
- 1920x1080 screen

I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of this little machine. I had the graphic settings set to High at 1920x1080 and was getting above 30 FPS. Everything was playable and smooth. I was just questing and not doing any 5,10, or 25 mans.

 

Well, there's always OpenOffice. It's free and (I believe) it's better: openoffice

 

My understanding is that it is also based on how full the drive is. Mine is pretty full. Also the drives will wear and degrade over time.

I use Office 2010 Pro x64, I think the x64 version runs great. I think that any time to have an option to run x64 you get better performance. Photoshop CS3 also runs great as x64.
Open Office is great if you just want to edit word documents. It sounds like you want Outlook. I wouldn't buy from some sketchy online vendor, if the price seems to good to be true it probably is.

 

Since the entry name in the WEI is "disk data transfer rate" I'll bet that how full it is only affects the transfer rate when the drive is pretty darn full.

In the case of Double-UA, he is seeing 7.8 whereas I have (and have always had) around 7.3, both drives are 256GB. So my thought was that since the quads are faster than the duals, and since 256GB is available in both types, that he must have a quad.

 

My 128gb ssd gives me 7.4. I vaguely remember that it was 7.5 before. So the drive has degraded already?

 

I second the OpenOffice recommendation. if not, you can get i think the entire office suite for $80 as a student. if not, check your employer if they have deals on it (talk to your IT people). Some government agencies can get it for $10

my ssd used to show 7.9 now it's at 7.6... personally, WEI gives a benchmark figure also, windows can also change they way the WEI is calculated. I mean... if i had 7.9 and some other SSD has 7.9... well i can't exactly tell which is faster.

 

I wouldn't read too much into WEI.

Certainly 7.4-7.5 is the same number. If you want to characterize your degradation, I recommend you use something else (anything else).

 

Hello,

I'm experiencing this as well. Has anyone found a solution?

Zanith

 

What thing is it that you are experiencing. Your WEI is decreasing?

 

Regarding item #4, from what I've researched, you can not upgrade the SSD. (you can only replace it with the same sized one). In fact, you can only replace with the same part# sony SSD, as it is a custom size and shape, and a third party SSD won't fit or connect. Even another Sony Vaio Z series SSD of a different size won't connect. See my earlier post.

The other options are to replace the cd drive with a SSD kit. Or, just get an external SSD and run it through a USB3 or eSATA Expresscard adapter. I have done the latter with a regular eSATA mechanical hdd and the results are fine (but not as fast as an external SSD).
Will

 

Actually, as posted before in this thread, you can replace them Sony ones with 1.8" drives, but you must take them out of their enclosures first. It's also easier if you have the Toshiba drives because they use more standard connectors as opposed to the samsung ones.

 

Here's what my experience tells me:

item 2)
5400 will save noticeable battery life. Not sure exactly how much, but most laptops have 5400rpm as a standard. An extra large capacity battery will be a great investment for you.

item 3)
I've never had a vibration issue with mechanical drives, but then again, I was always using them on a flat, stable surface. As I understand from your post, you're talking about an external caddy-drive set up? I usually pad an external drive well before I ship it. Or, I'll carry it carefully in my bag -I haven't had an issue to date. It sounds like the environment you want to work in is "shaky" and things break easy?

item 4)
I haven't had experience with WD' free fall sensor. But, I've order a few drives online, and never had an issue. They usually wrap it in bubble-wrap and air-packaging fairly well, so it's not something I would worry about. Usually they have a warranty with it, so if it fails right away, you can get it replaced.

Good luck,
Will

 

Actually, i think he's talking about actually using a laptop with a HDD. That's when you dont want to bang it or drop it because you could physically scratch the disk and... bye bye all the information you had stored on there.

 

Correct and the drive is still very fresh.

 

Correct

 

What is the normal idle CPU temperature for Z12 with i5 M540 (2.53GHz)?

I'm running Outlook and Firefox while being over WiFi internet. Video is in stamina mode and CPU load is near 0-5% all the time. CPUID Hardware Monitor says temperatures are 53 and 57 degrees C (two cores) and they don't go lower.

Are these numbers ok? I'm worried as I can't see any processes loading CPU in Task Manager, but maybe some background services do it.

 

Those are actually normal temps for a Z. Consider that it's so thin and yet so much is packed within it. Personally while gaming, i got up to 96C on my GPU and 98C on my CPU. It's a shocker going from desktops to laptops for sure, seeing that 60C at load on a desktop is horrific. i'm getting 47C and 52C right now accord to HWmonitor. Consider the ambient temperature too. But yeah laptop components are rated to handle high temperatures anyways.

 

Thank you - i´m hopping this would also be possible on the "smaller" z13 with i5 cpu ...

 

Hi!

I know that technically speaking this is the wrong forum, but I'm sure you guys can help with the following question. Not having much luck on the Y forum unfortunately. Here goes:

I’m pretty livid with Sony’s “customer support” too, one of the rubber pads on the base of the computer (next to the battery) has fallen off the 6 month old Y series laptop I bought my girlfriend. Now the laptop wobbles when typing. I contacted Sony and rather than apologising and offering to send me a replacement for free (as they should, because the laptop is under guarantee), they are trying to sell me one!!! This is pretty bad, but the biggest insult is the price, 26,51 Euros (about 35 USD)!!! Yep, that’s right 26,51 for a crappy piece of rubber that costs next to nothing to make. They really know how to annoy their customers! I was planning to buy a Z series for myself but this incident has really put me off... What would I do if I got a more serious problem with my Z series 6 months down the line?

Anyway, I’m obviously not going to pay that. Does anyone know where I could buy a spare? I’ve looked on ebay but no luck so far...

Thanks in advance!

 

You could take off another foot, just to balance it out so it doesn't wobble.

 

My brand new i7 gives me 52 to 60, when idle. I've seen it go up to 72. I use it for programming mostly, not gaming, which could justify much higher temps.

 

Sony Vaio Z - Vertical Line on laptop screen,

Ok I've had my Vaio Z since feb this year and its developed a vertical white line on the screen, the line is present even before windows boots up and in both speed and stamina mode?

Has anyone else seen this ?

I'll be sending it back on a warranty job hopefully then done claim that I mistreated it or something sly like that


Mappy

 

upload a photo. sounds like a screen defect.

 

Updated with Photos - Just tested with an external monitor and the line doesnt appear there - so presumably nothing wrong the graphics card and just a problem with the screen

All I can say is

sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit

 

Vertical Screen line photos, Ignore the last set - Like a noob I thought print screen would capture the line !

Here are the photos from a camera

Mappy

 

Ouch that's brutal! Coincidentally, my screen developed a few dead pixels last week that has now developed into a full blown array of dead pixels that looks like a bird sh*t on my screen.

I talked to the outsourced technical support representative and I was told that they'd send a replacement LCD to a local technician who would call me within 4-5 business days once they receive the replacement LCD so everything was hunky dory! WRONG!!

..Those days passed and still no call. I called again to technical support and they told me that the part hasn't been shipped out and I should wait another 3 days for a call. NO call. So I called again yesterday and now they tell me that the part is on BACKORDER with no ETA of when a replacement LCD would be shipped, which could take several months for all I know. So now I'm stuck with a defected LCD with no idea when a repair will becoming.

I'm going to try my luck tomorrow at a local Sony Style Store where someone domestic works.

Let me know how your experience is going, Mappy; hopefully it'll be better than mine but the odds aren't looking well if our screens are backordered.

 

foolie are you UK based ?

Problem is I use the laptop for work and I need it for that, I cant be waiting weeks like yourself

 

No I'm from USA. I use this laptop for work too but there's not much that can be done if they are missing parts. If nothing happens within a week, I will just escalate it until they replace my entire Z.

 

Damn I am sorry for you guys. So, this is what everybody calls "great" screens? Doh!

 

Yeah, they're just utterly fragile. I may have to upgrade my case after a replacement.... whenever that happens.

 

Not having much luck with laptops, Ridiculously fragile Alienware M15 and its hinges, now this Sony and its screen - I think a Lenovo is next for me – do they still have the build quality? - still I have to make the sony last a year or so more!

 

Have you spoke with technical support yet, Mappy? What did they tell you?

 

not yet will do tommrow - Im sure they will find someway to blame me and make me pay for a repair - even though its on warranty

any advice on the best strategy to use?

 

What is the highest resolution supported by the Z over VGA? Can it support 2056x1440?

My boss has a Z, he bought one shortly after seeing mine, and he wants to buy this monitor for his desk UltraSharp U2711 69cm (27?W) Monitor with PremierColor Details