Help from you Sony Pro's - Thinking of An Outlet VPCZ1290X/1390X....

Hi all, my 1st post here but have been a long time lurker

I need a new laptop to replace my crappy old XPS 15 and having seen the spec of the new Z2, I'm now thinking of getting a VPCZ1290X/1390X from the outlet store.

I'm in the UK but am an airline pilot so can get it shipped to Florida & pick it up there...

Having had a good read through the many threads here, I've got a coupld of questions that I wonder if you good people can help me with :

Getting refurb stuff from the outlet store - is it 'meant' to be as new or should you expect (& therefore have to put up with) scratches / dings etc?
Am I better off seeing if they get a 'new' laptop back in or a refurb one?

Spec wise, am I better off with an I7 & smaller SSD or I5 & bigger SSD, bearing in mind that I don't mind opening it up & changing a smaller SSD or CD/DVD drive for an aftermarket drive...
I guess the most I do with a laptop is watch HD movies (via USB stick), share trade (want the high-res screen) & surf the net - oh, a bit of photo editing but nothing too serious!

I'm not to worried about the cosmetic side of the Z (palmrest wearing etc) but I do like snappy performance!

Are there any other top-tips for buying a VPZ that I should know?

Many thanks for any help you guys can give,

Cheers,

wow400

 

Well, first if you want to buy anything from the outlet, you have til 7/30 (that'd probably be US Eastern Time) to use OUTLETVAIO15PC for 15% off any laptop in the Sony Vaio Outlet (US only)

secondly, i dont think there will be palmrest wearing (remember most of these are probably returns, and you have 30 days to return a laptop here)

I'd expect a few dings and possibly signs of wear but only because i don't want to get too hyped up and expect brand new. You can get new ones (where a man orders one, and the wife intervenes...), but again, you are getting a returned laptop (for a good discount). Be a little wary when you get your laptop, at least one person reported getting a 1600x900 Z, when Sony said it was 1080p from the outlet, shouldn't be a major problem that occurs often, but it has happened.

I'd get an i5 + bigger SSD if you wont mod it yourself as the i5 + i7 should feel just as snappy for 90% of all tasks unless you're going to use CPU-intensive programs a lot (even then possibly < 10% performance difference)

tip: if you get a dark colored Z and you have sweaty palms, invest in a sheet of clear protector for your palmrest (either from clearprotector, zagg, etc)

 

the outlet coupon already expired last night

 

I definitely agree: get the bigger SSD paired with an i5 over smaller SSD paired with i7.

Regarding the palm rests, a few pieces of clear boxing tape work great for protecting the palm rests, and you can just peel them off if you plan on showing off the laptop. A nice, easy, and cheap solution.

 

I wish I had known about the outlet coupon, I ordered a VPC-Z13 a few days ago :/

 

Call in and get price adjusted... well try to! Doesn't hurt to ask to save $200+

really? darn techbargain lied to me... i knew there was one out, but techbargain said it expired 7/30... Doesn't hurt to ask anyways!

 

I tried the web chat thing, rep apologized and said he absolutely could not offer any discounts as refurbs are already heavily discounted. But of course this is webchat, pretty different from calling in.

The refurbs can sometimes be more than just the slightest of scratches. My first refurb Z (Z13/S, manufactured Jan 2011) had an almost invisible long scratch on the lid. My second refurb Z (Z13/PCF, Dec 2010) was like-new. My third refurb Z (Z12/B, Aug/Oct 2010) has very visible scratches on the palmrest, and the rubber thing below the battery is slightly chipped off. Lid looks good. Palmrest flaw doesn't bother me because I put on an SGP skin over it.

 

I stand corrected. Sorry, my experience (my own purchases and that of friends and colleagues) have all been flawless. If you're interested, I believe I will end up with one extra Z1390X base (Microsoft Store) model in perfect condition to sell (though part of me wants to hang onto it for backup/parts. Pm me if you're interested and let's see if we can come to terms.

 

Thanks for the replies chaps - sorry for not getting back to you 'till now but I was off getting married & enjoying the best of the Maldives

Just a quick one, can someone remind me of the difference between the VPCZ1290X and 1390X?

many thanks again,

wow400

 

There is hardly any difference, except the TPM chip that is in the 13. It is the options that should be considered. Get whatever one has the options you want 1080P, i7, 256GB etc.

 

That's fantastic - thanks for the info CompCowboy.

Much appreciated!

wow400