Considering Z2/S, some questions

Hi there,

I'm considering the Z2 or S, but can't really decide between the two... I have a couple of questions. Btw, I'm buying them from US Sony.

1) Is the WWAN modules on the two locked? i.e. can I use it with an overseas SIM card?

2) I plan to use the computer for tasks like gaming, photoshop, VM, web surfing etc. Would I feel the difference between the i5s (i5-2435M & i5-2540M) and the i7? Is the bottleneck the graphics card or the processor (when gaming).

3) Is the FHD screens on the Z significantly better than the S? (this is one of the considerations I have for taking the Z above the S, unfortunately I don't have a Sony outlet nearby, so I can't do a visual comparison)

4) Probably very subjective, but is the Z worth the price difference? (about $500+)

5) Is the extended warranty a necessity? I would be leaving the US soon, so I would be effectively uncovered, bad idea?

Sorry for the many questions. Thanks alot!

 

If I were you I would specify which S!? S is actually a model from 2010, the current models are called Sx, where x is the submodel version - A/B/C/D. Each has different typical configuration and possibly even screen properties. So until you specify a submodel a comparison would be hard. Also are you looking at Z1 or Z2?

The WWAN modules of Vaio laptops sold in Europe are unlocked, that's one thing I can tell you. However, as usual, US comes with limits - as far as I know the WWANs there are locked via firmware. There are a few threads here containing more information and eventually ways to unlock. Look them up.
But if you are leaving the US soon I would much rather purchase from Europe if I were you! You automatically get min 2 years international warranty, better support and unlocked WWAN. The price difference (if any) isn't as it used to be years ago, before US went down financially

 

Hmm, I've decided to get the Z2. Now the only thing to do is decide which processor...

I just checked the Sony Europe, the prices are higher than the US. Thanks for the advice though =), I guess I'll just have to live with a 1 year warranty.

 

i5-2540M is a great choice I guess, I have the i7-2620M only because it was offered on the french sony store.

Few benchmark from notebookcheck :

3DMark 06 CPU test

i5 2430M : min: 2889 avg: 3087 max: 3285
i5 2540M : min: 3649 avg: 3678 max: 3701
i7 2620M : min: 3039 avg: 3742 max: 3884


3DMark Vantage: P CPU no PhysX 1280x1024 :

i5 2430M : min: 7863 avg: 8295 max: 8727
i5 2540M : min: 9842 avg: 9869 max: 9897
i7 2620M : min: 8605 avg: 11257 max: 21984 (suspicious)


Cinebench R10: Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit :


i5 2430M : min: 9715 avg: 9893 max: 9991
i5 2540M : min: 10077 avg: 10786 max: 11069
i7 2620M : min: 9634 avg: 11243 max: 11711

 

It's suprising, that i7 has lower minimum than i5-2540.. But I got i7 just because I like to have the power when I need it, and I just woulnd't be satisfied knowing, I could have gotten more, even if I don't particularly need i7 and i5 would suffice..

 

Thanks guys! As suggested, I've decided to get the i5-2540M.

Just still feeling kind of torn as the SA would be $900 cheaper, but I guess the Z2's benefits will make up for it!

 

Good choice. The i5-2540M will give you the best bang for the buck in processor choices and, as long as you can afford it, you're probably going to be happier with the Z2 compared with a lower-end machine.

 

Just ordered the Z2, i5 core! Thanks all!

 

Just the screen is worth the price difference, it is so much better. It's the best you can get on a small notebook!

 

The reason for that is a poor cooled laptop they probably tested which suffered from throttling I guess.
On Z2, i7 would always perform a little bit better than any i5 except for temp and consumption.

i7 2640M performs better than i7 2620 it's certainly unnoticeable though. However it looks that WEI is much better with the 2640M, it's 7.5 O__o
It's very suspicious in my opinion. Looks like WEI scores aren't fair.
Anyway they are useless really.

 

Funny how we all seem to feel this way, yet we rarely fail to post them when benchmarking, me included.