Any new models on the horizon? (VAIO summer refresh)

I know the Dell Studio model with that GPU is at 128bit. Probably same goes for the Vaio.

How about an expected day for a refreshed FW? Looking forward to the ATI 4650.

How much might the entry price for the notebook be?

 

2 weeks? Wow thats really good great to hear.

Salt im thinking more along the line of G105 as thats what alot of the notebooks now are using for lower end Nvidia 110 would be nice though.

 

Just my guess based on nixon saying the Fws are coming soon.

I don't know. It has 512MB DDR3 so paired with a good CPU it must be getting 4250-4300 in 3dmarks06 like the Dell Studio 1555.

 

oh well at least we know it should be in july probably this is gonna be a HOT summer

 

July for the FW maybe? And you think the 4650 will have 512MB VRam?

 

i think it will is the 4650 available with 256? I though it started at 512

 

Yes it is 512MB.

I think the new SRs and FWs will be available this month, going by what nixon said and the fact that the new drivers are available.

 

Cool, still performs better than the 3650 right? It's a deal-breaker for me if it is.

 

Check www.sony.co.uk for all info on the new models.

 

apparently the 4570 is better then the 3650 check the Dell Studio thread(1555 model) you will see what i am talking about

 

And the 4650 better than the 4570 huh.

 

4650 performs a lot better than 3650.

4570 slightly better than 3650.

 

Sony should get a grip on reality. Their European websites are full of rubbish and misinformation:

From the Vaio SR custom build page:

Intel® Core(TM)2 Duo 2.66 GHz [Surcharge: + £ 150.01 ] ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 4550 512MB + HDMI(TM) output

See that? 4550? No bloody way (would be nice though ). 4550 is desktop GPU. Desktop. Hear me Sony? I know better what are the specs of your laptops

For a while it was even better... graphics card was listed as 'graphics card'. Then they changed it to Radeon 4500 ;-) Now is 4550. Were getting there, just do +20 and we're done and you can start shipping!

 

Well, it does say MOBILITY Radeon. I checked the ATI site and there is no Mobility Radeon HD 4550, just the HD 4530 and the HD 4570. Is that what you were referring to?

 

Wolf04: precisely; there is no mobility 4550 and the only one with this number is a desktop version.

It's one thing to have no data on your website, but to have the wrong data? LAME.

 

The SR400 will have the ATI 4570.
The FW400 will have the ATI 4650.

 

Quick question:

When I go to the Sony site and configure notebooks and add them to my cart, I don't see any edu discount applied to them. I also go to checkout and don't see it. I made an account and recorded the University I'm attending to get the discount. How much % do I get off from the edu discount?

 

i wanna know too,7%?

 

I know this have been kind of asked before, but do we expect to see an update for the Sony TT? A cpu, a gpu or even a SSD update? I know they can upgrade the IGP 4500HD to the slightly faster 4700hd, but do you think they might move to the nvidia ion gpu that a few other in its class(like the MBA) have?

 

My (educated) guess:

CPU, maybe it stays 1.4GHz, maybe 1.6Ghz.
GPU, no update.
SSD, very possible it will be updated. Possibly the 250GB HDD.

 

So you think there is no chance of an upgraded gpu and a cpu that is at 1.8ghz?

Kind of OT: I understand the Z series was currently updated to the 600 line but other than the cpu bump what are some of the other difference between the Z600 line and the Z500 line?

 

I don't think there will be a 1.8GHz CPU option for the TT.

Actually I doubt if a 1.8GHz ULV already exists, but my knowledge may not be up to date.

If you want to make sure, go to sony.jp and see if they offer it. If they don't then there's zero chance. If they do, there is some chance.

 

There are no 1.8 ULV processors, these laptops are all about battery life so i doubt that Sony would go for the higher watt LV processors.
The processors in the TT consume 10w of power and the processors in the MBA consume 17w of power. In an ultrapoortable 10.6-12.1 that is a bit of a difference.
http://ark.intel.com/ProductCollection.aspx?familyId=26548
A 1.6 ULV is a decent processor.

Also, about the graphics card. Although on paper the 9400M consumes as much power as a 4500HD. In real life tests the 9400M seems to fare worse. The Dell Studio has this card on board and users struggle to get battery life in the 3hrs 30min area even when using this card. Who knows though Sony may well opt for it.

The 4700HD has been out for a while. They used in one SR version in the US and not again. I doubt that they will now use this card.

 

I came across this recently:

http://www.villagetronic.com/vidock2/index.html

It's interesting what they claim; how can you get 8k 3d Mark 06 via Expresscard1? But if it works, that'd be a sweet deal for a laptop like Vaio Z or SR...

 

Edu discount in Europe?

Is there a way to squeeze the Education discount in Europe for Vaio laptops (in Switzerland, France or Germany)? As much as I hate the mirror-screen of new Macbook Pros, with 15% edu discount, 60 gbp Apple care and 150 gbp voucher for iPod touch, the current back to school offer from Apple kicks .

Even though they current gen of MBPs pisses me off, it's still damn good deal for a performance/gaming laptop (and runs OS X; wonder if I'll be able to run OS X on Vaio SR? 'should' run rather decent...)

Outrageous! Damn Europe doesn't get T9550, but instead the P8800 :S In addition, folks at Sony in Switzerland told me that any custom configured laptop is not available and the only model they have is with 2Ghz CPU and 5400RPM HDD :S

I'll probably bring one from Japan; need to see if they have international warranty (neither stupid Europe nor US have)...

 

@Aule

T9950 European Vaio Z

 

Really the 9400m isnt that good? Then how is apple getting like a claimed 5 or so hours out of the MBA with that cpu, or if you want to go bigger 7 or so hours on the new MBP(13 model)? Or does that have to do something with the non-removable battery?

 

Good point, Apple gets very good battery life out of the 9400M. Even with the old battery.

 

Well, i've read from a number of owners that struggle to get up to 4hrs battery life out of the MBA with wifi on. For a thin and light notebook i would not call that good battery life.
Apple is bit more power efficent than some and the MBA has a smaller battery. The Studio has a decent battery rating but battery life is still lacking.

 

Well, I really don't know what the old 13 MBP(MB at that time) got but I would think that was still fairly good? But still the MBP 13in and 15in models get a pretty good battery life from the reviews I have read so far. Could this be due to the way Dell implemented the GPU somehow? Or maybe Dell didn't do a good job with the battery? Because when you think about it logically shouldn't all laptops with the same cpu, gpu, battery, screen size/type and similar other combos get close to the same battery life? But that usually never is the case, now is it?
Also would there be a reason why they wont use the 4700hd again? & I could not find info but what was the difference, other than cpu, between the Z600 line and the Z500 line?

 

This thread might interest you.
The majority where getting 3-4hrs for their MBP battery life.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=323243



About the Z refresh, I think Sony has to at least upgrade the GPU of the Z to justify the price tag now.

 

The SR with the 3470 GPU(which is weaker than a 9400m) gets like 3+ hours of battery life with wifi on. 4+ hours on a thin and light is totally acceptable. In an unrelated note, linux/mac os x run much more efficiently and typically better life improves on the same machine running those vs. windows. (let's see if win 7 changes that).

The studio...is massive and shouldn't be compared to the Z, SR, or macbook anything. It's not even a thin and light...its basically a desktop replacement at 5.5lbs, the studio 13 comes in at 4.8lbs.


Rachel:

Based on the SZ's history, the direct pre-deccesor to both the SR and Z line. The SZ came out in 2006 and was replaced in Aug of 2008, it had one gpu refresh in that time...

 

Well isn't the Z600 line the latest model of the Z that was updated like a month or two ago? Or was that just a bump in the cpu and nothing else?

I guess the 9400m really isn't that good then.

 

I agree for a laptop to get 4hrs with dedicated graphics is quite good. It is not so good though if your using an integrated card. More tests are needed to see how it really compares to the Intel integrated cards.

Apple though have improved on things now. However, were talking about the TT and if using that card would be a good idea in an ultraportable like the TT.

I was refering to the Studio XPS M1340. Some owners have posted in this forum stating that they can't get up to 4hrs using the 9400M card.

Coldmack, people have been anticpating minor refreshes for the Z by the end of summer. I think Sony need to do more though.

 

What it the card that is one step lower and higher than the 9400m? Also I am to assume right the 9400m can encode hd video and do blu-ray well like the 4500hd series?

 

well the Z600 has new colors, bump in cpu speed, better ram, and gpu that is faster despite the same model number.

 

Yo anyone think that the sumer upgrade sony will add a 500gb and 750gb hdd, two 256+ ssd, 4700hd(stamina) gpu, better color and higher rez screen in the Z line? What about 500gb ssd in the SR line.

 

Below the 9400 is the 9300, above it is the 9500. And yes the 9400 can encode hd video, it is more powerful than the 4500hd.

 

how is the power consumption compared to the 9400? Is just as bad?

 

You need a video player that supports GPU accelerated computation. Not sure which one does it, but there are those that do. Nvidia is big on their CUDA platform and both should be OpenCL compatible.

 

Like didn't like the whole Vaio line including the Z just see some updates just a month ago?

Man a Vaio TT with the the upcoming inelt 4900HD igp would be so awesome as that improves performance a good amount.

 

Awesome if they re-tool a few of the moulds, perhaps.

I'm quite interested in the refreshed FW: I wouldn't mind a Studio XPS 16-a-like that I can actually use in a backlit indoor environment without looking like my avatar - even if it is a bit heavier.

 

Sony US has posted drivers for the new refresh of the following models:
VGN-Z700, VGN-SR400, VGN-CS300, VGN-NS300, VGN-FW400, VGN-AW300

They are not available for sale yet but should be very soon. No mention of refresh for P and TT models.

 

new model for the Z, same old ty drivers. Well done Sony. Would not be buying again.

 

I was refering to the Aluminium Macbook. I got 4:30 hours quite easily on a 4200 mAh battery. I think that's very good battery life for a full voltage CPU.

Why MBA has not so good battery life I don't know.

 

So what another speed bump in the Z, possibly a new color and that is it? Or is it unreasonable to believe it will have better battery life, better screen, and/or maybe even a slightly updated look? Maybe a lower price also if the GPU is going to be the same?

 

Afaik also 8GB support and some other features.

I don't see it happening. Battery life is already top of it's class considering specs, battery size and weight.

Improve the screen? I don't think higher quality 13.1" 16:9 panels exist.

 

This thread looks at the difference in power consumptions between these GPU's and goes over some of the things that have been discussed here.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=388668&

@ Phil thanks

 

You don't think sony might go with OLED? As for battery you never know Sony could find a way to squeeze an extra 30minutes of life. What do you think other features would be?

 

Sony XEL-1 11'' OLED display costs still 2500$. I.e.. Vaio Z7xx+BR+256Gb ssd+13'' OLED = 7000$.
I don't think, that there are a lot of people willing to pay that money for a laptop.