Considering a Z2, hoping to clarify two things.

Howdy Folks,

I've been lurking for a bit now, after settling on the new Z as the machine to replace my aging (very aging) laptop. I was hoping y'all might be able to help me understand two things.

1) I've been out of the hardware game for a very long time. I recognize this issue seems to have been beaten to death on these forums - but from my searches is seems that the beating has been specific to the Z1.

Does the Z2 support Win7 TRIM operations? Does it matter?

From what I've read about the Z1 here, even if it doesn't it's not really of concern, I just wanted to confirm.

2) From what I can tell, the CTO option can actually produce a more powerful machine than the so-called signature option. Other than bundled software and snazzy packaging, what does the signature model actually offer? I feel like I'm missing something here.

Thanks in advance, all. Much appreciated!

 

#1 - No it doesn't, but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference. Upcoming intel update should enable TRIM here.

#2 - Signature is just a unique config - nothing more. Today I believe it's the only way to get it in Gold, for instance.

Hope this helps.

 

Signature _used_ to be a way to get access to some premium CTO options like 1080p display, but by now, CTO options tend to offer equally premium options. Hence Signature loses its point.

 

I guess in terms of TRIM it depends on how much you hammer the machine. You may end up coming across the issue if you are a very heavy user in terms of the amount of space you use and also the frequency of data changing

I've never come across it since I don't use a machine as my primary for long enough for this to happen and also I rotate multiple machines, but I've seen lack of TRIM affect other people that I've lent or given machines to long-term when it's their one and only machine, where the SSD slows down dramatically after e.g. a year.

Signature or 'Limited Edition' has been cosmetic-benefit-only for a while, at least over here in Euro-land - it's always been possible to CTO the same config.

 

So, I've been doing a lot of reading and a fair bit of thinking, and here's where I've landed.

The appeal of the Z is it's power, size, and screen quality. Of -current- machines, it's the one that I think best suits my needs.

It'll primarily be used for the following:

-"Office-y" stuff (email, word processing, spreadsheets, etc)
-Running VMWare.
-Lightroom (Photoshop is consigned to living on my workstation.)
-Keeping myself entertained while stuck in hotels (Netflix streaming, hulu, etc.)

The PMD will live on my desk.

For portability and power (at least, of the sort I need) the Z seems to be pretty unmatched, but there are a few lingering things that have me dragging my feet on purchasing one.

1) The onboard wireless broadband support is 3G only.

2) I don't game. Or at least, I haven't, not in years and years, but I'm a little hesitant about the fact that it seems without the PMD, gaming is really a hassle. If at some point I decide I want to drop Dawn of War onto the machine for those long trips, will I be able to play comfortably (if not at the highest settings?)

3) The consensus seems to be that the keyboard leaves a fair bit to be desired.

4) Likewise, the speakers suck. And I do like my music while I work on the road. And yes, there are headphones, but that's one more thing to carry, etc, etc.

5) TRIM support for SSDs in RAID 0 doesn't currently exist. I know this may be a minor issue, and that Intel apparently has a fix on the way - but I don't know how far out that fix is and from comments about Sony driver support (like for the GPU) I'm concerned there may be a monkeywrench here.

We're approaching 2012. Not knowing Sony, and being way out of date on hardware trends I'd like to ask you guys - is it worth it to wait for CES and see what may be coming in a Z3 and if any of these concerns may be addressed, or will it be so far out that I shouldn't bother myself with it?

Also, a few minor questions I haven't been able to find answers for (or have managed to miss):

1) Does the Z have onboard Bluetooth support for mice, keyboards, etc?

2) Are there physical controls (fn keys or whatever) for contrast and brightness? If there is an autobrightness feature, can it be disabled? (This is important for color management).

3) Can anyone anticipate anything else about the Z that I should be aware of or that could cause a potential issue given my intended uses for the machine?

As always, thanks in advance folks.

 

^
I actually like the keyboard better than the one on the old Z now; it just takes some time to get used to.

1. Bluetooth is built in.

2. There's only controls for brightness on the keyboard (fn+f5 and fn+f6). There's autobrightness and it can be disabled.

3. Make sure to get 6/8gb ram. I kind of regret getting only 4gb of ram, since I easily use more than 3gb.

 

Thank you! 8GB is a must, I think. Are there software controls for contrast?

 

The Intel driver has some adjustments.

 

Also, get 8GB in your config because Sony uses proprietary RAM in the Z2 (I know it sucks because I just RAM prices are DIRT cheap at the moment, 8GB of ddr3 1333Mhz RAM for laptops hit ~$20 on BF and after...)

 

Pardon my unconvential method of responding, but with so many individual questions to respond to, I find it easiest to insert this bold/italics text between your questions. (I've only been using a borrowed Z2 for a week now, but hope to help in relief of fellow members - you ask a lot of questions! )

If you are as inclined to have concerns about the known limitations of the Z2 as it appears, you may do yourself a favor to pick up a much lower cost, interim Sandy Bridge laptop (but still likely an unimaginably huge improvement over what you're used to) and look to see what Ivy Bridge/2013 models bring to the table.

But here's another suggestion: Sony gives you 30 days to try out a new VAIO, but double check the CTO policy; if the refund only applies to fixed configs, you can compromise on the best fixed config, try it, decide if your issues are put to rest and if you can live with whatever compromises the fixed config. version saddles and, worst case, return and re-order CTO and generate a great deal for someone in the Outlet store

Hope you have enough input to make a go/no-go decision; I honestly doubt there is much to be gained from additional inquiries along these lines, though we're always here to help..huff, puff, gasp...