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    New 2008 Vaio Models Info!

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by Rahul, Jun 22, 2008.

  1. Rahul

    Rahul Notebook Prophet

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    Rahul, Jun 22, 2008
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  2. Tomassi

    Tomassi Notebook Consultant

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    This thing seems ugly and too big -compared to the FZ- if you ask me... :(

    +rep for the find btw.
     
    Tomassi, Jun 22, 2008
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  3. Rahul

    Rahul Notebook Prophet

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    Rahul, Jun 22, 2008
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  4. jack sparrow

    jack sparrow Notebook Evangelist

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    Great find rahul,

    The SR series will have also blu-ray drive!

    No HDMI and Stamina mode?
     
    jack sparrow, Jun 22, 2008
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  5. Rahul

    Rahul Notebook Prophet

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    Are you sure?

    I hope it will. I looked through the SR manual and it doesn't mention an HDMI port.

    Look at page 20 of the manual.

    Look at the right of the VGA port I see an outline of a HDMI port there. Its like its supposed to be there but it isn't.

    I think it will be an option on the higher end models and not on the lower end ones like the FZ series. The FZ series that don't have an HDMI port have an outline of it instead for example.
     
    Rahul, Jun 22, 2008
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  6. Phil

    Phil Retired

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    But that was the manual to SR-100 and maybe not the others?

    That would explain the Bluray because Nixon kind of hinted either the SR or Z11 would have bluray.
     
    Phil, Jun 22, 2008
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  7. jack sparrow

    jack sparrow Notebook Evangelist

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    Yes, some models of the SR will include the blu-ray.

    Page 41 of the manual.

    Dissapointed that there isn't HDMI and Stamina Mode.
     
    jack sparrow, Jun 22, 2008
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  8. Tomassi

    Tomassi Notebook Consultant

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    Blu-ray without HDMI on a small screen doesn't make sense...
     
    Tomassi, Jun 22, 2008
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  9. Phil

    Phil Retired

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    I think you need to see the real pictures before you can say it's ugly. The styling may have a lot of influence.
     
    Phil, Jun 22, 2008
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  10. Phil

    Phil Retired

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    True. is there DVI?
     
    Phil, Jun 22, 2008
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  11. Rahul

    Rahul Notebook Prophet

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    Nope, no Vaio models have had that port.
     
    Rahul, Jun 22, 2008
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  12. vaiofreak

    vaiofreak Notebook Guru

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    It looks like the American Z series will have the following models:
    VGN-Z570AN
    VGN-Z570FN
    VGN-Z575FN

    US SR series:
    VGN-SR140ES
    VGN-SR150FN
    VGN-SR175N
     
    vaiofreak, Jun 22, 2008
    #12
  13. DTX

    DTX Notebook Evangelist

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    Looks like its got the same keyboard styling of the TZ. Could this mean the new SZ series have a new keyboard design? I sure hope so!

    Blu-ray + HDMI and I am preordering!
     
    DTX, Jun 22, 2008
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  14. Rahul

    Rahul Notebook Prophet

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    Vaio Z series (SZ replacement) User Guide

    http://www.docs.sony.com/release/VGNZ500series.pdf

    Look at page 15. It looks exactly like the TZ series! Yay, a bigger version of the TZ! And has an HDMI port too! :D

    I think I may be buying this one! I can't wait to see their ultraportables in the fall! :D
     
    Rahul, Jun 22, 2008
    #14
  15. DTX

    DTX Notebook Evangelist

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    +rep for you mate.

    HDMI Port, YES!
    Staminar Mode, YES!
    TZ Style Keyboard, YES!
     
    DTX, Jun 22, 2008
    #15
  16. Rahul

    Rahul Notebook Prophet

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    Its all but confirmed it'll have a Blu-Ray drive as well, so start preordering! I may do the same! :D

    If you notice, the Z, SR and FW series share a very similar design. The FW looks like a bigger version of the Z series, etc.

    Finally a VERY NICE replacement to the SZ series. Its design got old for me very fast (2.5 years old) and I hated its keyboard as well.

    Can I get a mod to rename this thread since there's information on other models here as well? :)
     
    Rahul, Jun 22, 2008
    #16
  17. DTX

    DTX Notebook Evangelist

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    @rahulnirmal: Yep, got too excited to put that in! Im surprised that some models will be able to write to BD.

    Page 109 seems to suggest that there is no restarting required for changing performance mode?
     
    DTX, Jun 22, 2008
    #17
  18. raczkri

    raczkri Notebook Enthusiast

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    I have found something very interesting in the Z series user guide (page 110). you'll be able to get a model with two flash drives built in configured in RAID mode... :)
     
    raczkri, Jun 22, 2008
    #18
  19. Rahul

    Rahul Notebook Prophet

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    This Z model indeed looks very very very nice. I cannot wait to see what they'll have for their ultraportables later in the fall. I may not be able to wait for them and just get this instead. :)

    Though I am dissapointed it has no media buttons like the TZ has, considering the Z has HDMI out and Blu-Ray drive. :confused:

    I hope it can have shortcut buttons to media functions using the Fn key.

    Looks like it'll have a 16:9 screen. Resolution should be 1366x768 like the TZ, but I'd like higher resolution options.
     
    Rahul, Jun 22, 2008
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  20. outie

    outie Notebook Consultant

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    Wow, good eyes. How long have you been studying the manual? This Z is going to own all other laptops if it is true.The price must be high too.
     
    outie, Jun 22, 2008
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  21. raczkri

    raczkri Notebook Enthusiast

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    i have read every word, cannot wait to have a new z series on my desk :)
     
    raczkri, Jun 22, 2008
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  22. mrhaboobi

    mrhaboobi Notebook Geek

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    I hope this keyboard is not like the CR series though, i hate that keyboard, the keys are too close together, and just not nice to use.. hmm going to have to wait to see what they actually come out like, and if the high end is the only one with HDMI that will be a kick in the teeth aswell :( why cant they just all have hdmi or DVI..
     
    mrhaboobi, Jun 22, 2008
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  23. nixon

    nixon Notebook Evangelist

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    Yay. I'm glad you all are finally seeing a little bit of them. Nice little things, eh? I doubt Sony meant to have those up yet at all.
     
    nixon, Jun 22, 2008
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  24. Cossack7V7

    Cossack7V7 Notebook Evangelist

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    I hope that Sony improves on battery life and heat management with their new FW series. These were common issues with the FZ series. Sony definitely SHOULD offer higher-end GPU options as well.
     
    Cossack7V7, Jun 22, 2008
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  25. HellDemon

    HellDemon Notebook Consultant

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    Oh dear god i want them both...
    The Z looks like the higher-end version, I hope it is...
    I really love the TZ styling along with the SZ hybrid gfx...
    Please let these have good battery lives and (LED's a given) a good gfx processor :p
     
    HellDemon, Jun 23, 2008
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  26. Cossack7V7

    Cossack7V7 Notebook Evangelist

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    How about a Quadro 1600FX 512MB graphics card in the Z series? :D
     
    Cossack7V7, Jun 23, 2008
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  27. HellDemon

    HellDemon Notebook Consultant

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    Ooolala ;) Well we can all dream can't we? :p
     
    HellDemon, Jun 23, 2008
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  28. Phil

    Phil Retired

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    never mind, i'll put these numbers in a separate thread.
     
    Phil, Jun 23, 2008
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  29. lithium

    lithium Notebook Consultant

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    Type in 'VGNZ500' at esupport.sony.com to get these Z-series model numbers: Z570AN, Z570FN and Z575FN.

    For 'VGNSR100': SR140ES, SR150FN and SR175N.

    All of those model pages are currently blank, though.

    PhilFlow has more info. under separate thread at "New Vaio 2008 model listing with indication prices - FW - Z - SR - BZ".
     
    lithium, Jun 23, 2008
    #29
  30. armadilo

    armadilo Notebook Evangelist

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    Great news guys,

    But I don't see any difference from the SR to the Z. I read the manual of the SR yesterday and it seems exactly same features. What is the point making very similar models?
     
    armadilo, Jun 23, 2008
    #30
  31. Jayayess1190

    Jayayess1190 Waiting on Intel Cannonlake

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    So far differences I see between the SR and Z are:

    • SR might be thicker
    • optical drive buttons in different places
    • Z has no media buttons
    • Z has the motion eye indicator in a different place
    • SD Card/Memory stick slots are in different positions on each notebook
    • SR does not have ability to switch between Nvida card and Intel graphics
     
    Jayayess1190, Jun 23, 2008
    #31
  32. armadilo

    armadilo Notebook Evangelist

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    Thanks Jayayess,

    This helped a lot. I'm sure when the first pics come we will see two totally different series. Yeah, Sony is back!
    I really can't wait this Z how is going to be, is going to be a tough decision on purchasing this or waiting the Montevina TZ. :)
     
    armadilo, Jun 23, 2008
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  33. Phil

    Phil Retired

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    Phil, Jun 23, 2008
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  34. Cossack7V7

    Cossack7V7 Notebook Evangelist

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    Then it will definitely run on AMD's Puma Platform. It will probably be one of the low-cost models. I hope Sony offers the ATI Mobile Viper Radeon 3870HD 512MB DDR3 XTREME GPU as an option though.

    I'm sure they'll offer nVidia graphics cards as well. Someone mentioned that they'll also offer a 9600M as an option. (probably the equivalent of the 8700GT). :D
     
    Cossack7V7, Jun 23, 2008
    #34
  35. lunateck

    lunateck Bananaed

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    :D Not possible, it's clearly stated that it's an Intel.
     
    lunateck, Jun 23, 2008
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  36. Cossack7V7

    Cossack7V7 Notebook Evangelist

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    It's possible that the notebook will be based on the AMD Puma Platform. The FW series will have an ATI HD3470 256MB option as previously mentioned. We'll have to see when it comes out.
     
    Cossack7V7, Jun 23, 2008
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  37. Jayayess1190

    Jayayess1190 Waiting on Intel Cannonlake

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    Notebooks with Intel processors can use ATI graphics cards. Right now I am typing on an old Dell with an ATI Radeon 9600.
     
    Jayayess1190, Jun 23, 2008
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  38. Arondel

    Arondel Notebook Evangelist

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    The manuals mention ATI cards and drivers, but none do so about anything NVidia related (at least as far as I've seen). I assumed they were going the ATI way... and this information solidifies that belief. Let's hope they offer competitive solutions to the power hungry users :p.
     
    Arondel, Jun 23, 2008
    #38
  39. Cossack7V7

    Cossack7V7 Notebook Evangelist

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    By the time this notebook will come out, Sony should seriously consider the ATI HD3870 512MB as a viable option for people looking for performance. Considering how big the FW series will be, I think that it is worth getting some performance out of the machine. An ATI HD3470 just doesn't cut it. You could find a GPU like that on a 14.1 inch notebook. It doesn't make sense to have it on a 16.4 inch notebook. That's just ridiculous.
     
    Cossack7V7, Jun 23, 2008
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  40. Phil

    Phil Retired

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    Well Sony has never really catered to gamers. I think they want a GPU that can handle Bluray well and some average games.

    It seems they want gamers to go for PS3. But who knows when this strategy may change.
     
    Phil, Jun 24, 2008
    #40
  41. Cossack7V7

    Cossack7V7 Notebook Evangelist

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    Exactly my point. Sony has never focused on high-end gaming. They should implement their PS3 technologies in their 15"+ notebooks. :D
     
    Cossack7V7, Jun 24, 2008
    #41
  42. iisdev

    iisdev Notebook Consultant

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    FYI -the Z series uses a Nvidia chipset. It's mentioned on page 94 onwards in the manual.
     
    iisdev, Jun 24, 2008
    #42
  43. Cossack7V7

    Cossack7V7 Notebook Evangelist

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    People don't read previous pages on threads at all.
    SR series-ATI GPU (HD3470 256MB)
    Z series-nVidia GPU (unknown)
     
    Cossack7V7, Jun 24, 2008
    #43
  44. iisdev

    iisdev Notebook Consultant

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    Did we get reliable confirmation yet that the 256MB is actually dedicated?

    The specs on the HD3470 (assuming they are current) aren't exactly awe inspiring; it has a 64-bit bus. Looks like the manufacturer has the option for DDR2 or GDDR3. If it is shared memory then the choice of this card might indicate the system is supplied with DDR2 instead of the faster DDR3 memory that can be used by Montevina. The (posted) SR price points do appear to be targeting a lower end of the (Vaio) market.. With the lack of HDMI (in the 1xx models) I can't see them putting a full 256MB of dedicated RAM in it. I suspect it's probably 128 + 128 (based on 2GB stock configuration) or worse 64 + 192 (3GB stock configuration). Thoughts?

    The good news is that based on the casing design and graphics chipset it's almost a definite that a later model in the SR series will have a HDMI port. Early SR adopters should wait if this was a feature that had you on the fence.

    Here's the 3400 series specs and a page on Wikipedia if you're interested. Oh, and on-the-fly switching is supported by this chipset so while there is no speed/stamina switch per se it can be done via software. :)
     
    iisdev, Jun 24, 2008
    #44
  45. Cossack7V7

    Cossack7V7 Notebook Evangelist

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    I don't think the ATI HD3470 256MB is dedicated. It is the actual GPU coupled with the Intel X4500. It's pretty adequate for such a small notebook...
     
    Cossack7V7, Jun 24, 2008
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  46. InfyMcGirk

    InfyMcGirk while(!(succeed=try()));

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    I wouldn't like to actually carry that notebook, though... can you imagine the size of it? ;)
     
    InfyMcGirk, Jun 25, 2008
    #46