Is the SZ650 a lemon??

It seems to be a 50-50 chance to get a "defective" SZ. Although its regular retail price is over 2K, many onilne/eBay stores in East coast sell it even under $1650. Why there's such a huge price drop for most retail stores including BestBuy? Highly suspect it's a lemon product!!! (well, sounds like a joke tho)

People who are happy with their SZs can be either not realizing (caring about) the problems they have or just getting a good luck to buy a "normal" SZ.

Not thinking about getting an SZ again...

 

Im deciding on the SZ 650 or 680.Which do u guys think is better?

Also,what are bloatwares and leakeges?


Thanks!

 

I purchased an SZ 650 from the Sony Style store in Seattle last weekend. Aside from the sort of funky keyboard that feels like a clicky Mac Book Pro and all of the bloatware, I have no complaints.

The screen is beautiful and has none of the formerly mentioned defects. I know it is early, but I would definitely say that it is NOT a lemon.

I will reserve further comments on Vista until I have used it for a while.

 

I really like this SZ6 series rollout of this model but I don't really know what to think about this 650 screen issue. At my local COMPUSA there was a 670 and a 650 side by side on display. The 670 was flawless and worked great. The 650 next to it was proudly showing off all kinds of stripes, patches, blotches and splotches. Looked like a snapshot of the wormhole from the last scene of "2001". Do they use a different manufacturer's screen in that model from the more expensive ones or what? Along with the posts in this thread concerning this issue, it is all very strange. I'm going to hold off on a potential purchase until this is worked out.

 

i finally found the correct thread! I just bought my SZ 650 at Best Buy last week and found the same banding issues. I returned it for another and got one with the same problems. all their VAIOs on display had banding problems. I really like everything else about this computer, except for its bad screen. will buying direct from Sony be any better?

 

If you want to be sure you won't get another one with banding problems, I suggest you get it from portableone, since they can check for the bands, light leakage, and remove bloatware.

 

I originally bought an SZ650 through Sony Style. It had the banding problem on the screen, and I sent it back. I agree with unid3ntifi3d. I understand that if you buy from Portable One, they will check the screen and not send you a lemon. In addition they will remove the bloatware and provide a clean recovery DVD.

 

The yellow banding is so commong that Portableone told me that they have not seen any SZ6 without it. I returned by laptop for a refund.

 

Went through 3 SZ's from Bestbuy all had the "screen defect". This is my 4th and it's perfect thus far. Too bad we had to do this QC for Sony...

 

I think you should get Sony to repair it if it's too much of a hassle to exchange the SZs through BB. I just received mine back from Sony and all is good, with the exception of the ID stickers they put on the notebook and its accessories. It took about 3 weeks starting from the first call about the issue. Normally, I'm guessing it would take no longer than 1.5 weeks because they told me the new LCD was on backorder.

 

All,
I just received my SZ 650 NC and computer runs well. I am suprised when I found out my laptop doesnt have small antenna on the left side. On each picture of SZ650NC you can see the antenna. Can somebody help?

 

that is for for sz660 and i think one model above that - its for the built in sprint wwan, which the sz650 does not have

 

Why would you want a cheesy flimsy-looking antenna sticking out of the side of your laptop?

 

well you can take it off, and the point is to have mobile broadband, the point of havign internet any place you want, in the car, at any store, etc

 

Kickace,

Thanks for info. Computer is nice even without antenna.
I spent 5 hrs uninstalling Sony trial softwares. Also, I dont like Vista Business, I will try to find Ultimate. I'm from Serbia and I can probably buy Ultimate for 10$.


By the way how did you get SZ660 for 1500$ with 4GB of RAM?

 

anyone got their sz650 from portable one?
do they completely check the sz650 for any and all defects b4 sending it out to the buyer?

 

well i put the 4gb/250gb in myself but still, the sz660 sells for atleast 2000 stocked (2gb and 160gb) on ebay ($2200-2300 retail) and i got lucky - no one would bid on it because it was a display model, but behind a glass case so no one touched it and then i just added a 2 year accidental onsite warranty so im perfeclty fine, not a scratch on it

was going to get the sz650 but it was no cheaper than 1700 on ebay and then i saw this, and i don't use the wwan right now but def will and i took off the antenna for now

 

almost positive they do, and they will take off all the bloatware

 

Doesn't replacing the hard drive void the warranty? Is there a sticker on the original hard drive that will identify whether or not it was removed?

 

havent put the 250 in yet, about to be soon but if it does, can always get my money back - plus i'll use a blowdriver to cleanly remove the sticker to put back on incase of a problem

if thats possible anyway

 

hi guys,
as i decided to get the sz650nc I came across this Thread and it is a big problem for me because I will get it from a friend in the US but in my country there is no warranty.
so what do u suggest me to do?
if I will take an higher model like the 670 it wont have thos problem?

thanks in advance.

 

You could buy it from Portable One. They check your notebook before they send it out, and they will replace it if it has severe problems. I'm not sure if they check all of them or just the ones they do the bloatware removal on.

 

so if I will order from them with the bloatware removal I will defently wont get a lemon?

 

I can't guarantee that. You should call them up or write them an email to see what their policy is.

 

they personally check every laptop to make sure there are no problems and also remove the bloatware. i wouldn't worry that much, you won't receieve a bad laptop and its not like every sony sz650 has a problem - only the people in this thread are the ones having the problem - hence the thread title.

im sure 100,000 other sony sz650s are working fine

 

Hello

I recommmend you get a VOS or overseas warranty so you will covered in you're place .