Confused about Vaio F23 (vpc) models.

Hello.
First post here.

I've waited a few years for this to happen and finally it did. Sony Vaio launched in Norway. And now I'm ready to get my hands on one in the F-series.
But I'm not 100% certain of what the real differences are between the models in the F-series, and I'm even more confused about the model name, and the price of this one which Sony threw at me when I configured a model on their webpage, a model name I can't find anything about on google.

These are the modells listed on the norwegian Sony site:

So my guess is that the VPCF22-models are the older models before the F23?
And the other F23 models are models with different setups, better screens, bigger HDD's etc. that's what make them different from each other? At least that is what to me is logical.
But here's what really put me off the brainvagon. When I configured my own laptop on the Sony website, I ended up with a laptop with the same configurations as the 2000 $ S1E-model, but to the cost of 1250 $ (they had a sale, but not THAT good of a sale), and the model name I've got on the configured laptop is: VPCF23C5E. And I can't find jack online about this model, not even on the Sony-site, only that it's the configuration-model.

What I'm trying to find out is that is this configuration-model that came out much cheaper than the S1E the mere image of that model, or does it lack something that I've missed to see here? (example, worse keyboard, removed DOLBY entertainment sound.. etc)

In advance, thanks for all help I can get here.

 

Welcome to the forums!

Sony has a thing for making several model numbers for Vaios that may only have small variances. In the U.S. at least, this often happens when different stores carry a certain series; it's not unusual for each store to have their own unique model numbers for their laptops. The second number in a model number - the 2 2 and 2 3 in this case are what you're seeing - represent minor refreshes in a series' lifespan, whereas the first number usually represents a generation number (VPC-F has had a prior generation). Usually the case, refreshes mostly bring along newer processors as the primary difference.

For the price discrepancy, I've noticed Sony doesn't reflect "sale" prices on their preconfigured models very consistently, this being the reason an equally custom-built model may show a different, often lower, price. The F23C5E sounds a lot like the ____90X models we get here in at least the states, which are basically CTO (configure to order) models. The model number won't change even though the specs between each will differ based on how the owner sets it up. Like in my sig, a lot of the models I own are custom builds, and you won't find any detailed specs on Sony site since the model number used is so broad.

Answering your question about differences, the only things that really every will change within your computer will be the CPU, GPU, hard drive, optical drive, and in the F2x's case, a 16" 3D screen or a 16.4" 2D screen. Keyboard, sound, etc., will most always remain the same throughout the series. Hope all this helps.

 

Looks like I can find my way through the vaio-maze now thanks to you eehee!
I'll buy it next week and hang around the Vaio-ownes-lounge in a bit.