New SZ info

Visited the local CompUsa and chatted with the Sony Rep who is there quite often. Asked her about the new S5 or S6 series and when they will have the new laptops with new processors. She offfered the following info. She said "it will be the S6 and will have the new SantaRosa chip, N wireless and 4GB ram capability as the major new upgrades". Asked her when I could order and she looked in her Sony printed literature for reps and I saw printed out several SZ6 series including a SZ691. The only date that was printed was for a more basic SZ6 ..unsure of the number but it had a release date of July 29th.. Would suggest you corroborate this info at your local CompUsa or Sony store....She also knew about the TZ but said that is "still secret"

 

Strange, she can talk about the SZ6, which is unknown all over the world. But the TZ is secret, while already sold in Japan and (almost) Europe.

Also, 4GB ram seems a little bit like overkill after 2GB just became standard for Vista.

Any word on the new Nvidia GPU?

 

It depends what you are doing. My SZ with 2GB of ram is sluggish when running a Virtual PC. I'll need more than 2GB in my next machine so I'm happy to see the 4GB option coming along.

 

True, you can always fill the extra ram. But for the average user the cost/benefit seems too low, I can't see the mainstream needing 4GB as a standard already.

But maybe you're right. Maybe it's time for the 4GB to become the new 2GB.

 

The rep mentioned secret about the TZ sheepishly like she knew something that she could not talk about even though you are right about it available now through Japanese sales..

I need to revisit with her for more specific SZ6 numbers. No mention of the Nvidia..This info should be available from the the Sony reps..if you can squeeze it out of them

 

Tempted to go to my local sonystore to check this out. No Geforce 8 is a dealbreaker for most, and that date seems REALLY late considering the m1330 will be out a month in advance! They're only upgrading to santa rosa and changing graphics to an almost identical chip (and adding an option for more RAM), where Dell came up with an entirely new machine. What's taking so long?

 

The new SZ now dont have any Santa Rose, still come with GeForce 7400

SZ6 will probably be out end of year or early next year which I can't wait anymore. That y I end up wif T61 with Santa Rose, Sony really losing a lot of customers here with their old machine.

 

And where did you get that information? Yeah, exactly.

 

There are 2 new SZs new SZ5XX with go7400 for spring and new SZ6XX with Santa Rosa for summer.

I think still this is the only info for Santa Rosa SZ in the web.
http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/09/sony-bumps-vaio-sz-and-ar-notebooks-to-santa-rosa/#comments

13.3-inch XBRITE screen with the ability to toggle between integrated Intel X3100 graphics and an NVIDIA GeForce 8400M chip to save battery life, built-in webcam, and a trick carbon fiber body on the Premium model. No word on pricing or availability, but these two rolled out at around $3000 each the last time around, so we're not expecting any mad rush here.

Now we know July 29th is the release date. I think I can wait if July 29th.

 

lol i wouildnt trust some low level sony employee from comp usa. as stated before, she can talk about a model no one knows about but she cant say anything about the tz which is already being sold in other parts of the world. and 3gb of ram already works in the sz's now as someone has tested. yea, i wouldnt trust any of that **** she said.....

 

I hope this news is true! I can also definitely wait until July 29th (that's only one more month!) for this new SZ.

Also on what grounds would you say this news is false? It's a Sony rep, so I'm sure she would have far more inside information than the average person who doesn't have the inside scoop. Besides, I've seen it time and time again with Sony's TVs reps spilling the beans on the new XBR models and the news tends to always turn out to be true. I wouldn't put it past this Sony rep for her info to be true.

Thanks for posting this allandpm!

 

Let us all hope that b true

 

Is there a source to this date? Cant seem to find that date in the Egadget article.

 

It's from Sony rep.

allandpm's first post of this thread.

 

the M1330 and the updated SZ will directly compete with each other.

 

The date I saw printed was the end of July. T think the 29th. I don't know if that was an announce date, ship date or date it could be ordered. I'll try to snag her today for more info.This was for the basic model not the SZ691
BTW...I called the local Sony Style store and told the sales rep about my conversation and he had a similar response about the Santa Rosa chip,N wireless better cell card. He said July or August...I know thisl is speculation but may more of you could do some digging...

 

I'd like to know if I could actually have one in my posession before the first of august. Ask her that

 

I just called the Sonystyle store in King of Prussia, PA and the person I talked to knew nothing. She said to call back when the manager was in.

 

The Sz691 is out July 21, 2007 apparently. WOW.. SR, and a new Nvidia.. confirmed

I will be waiting too.. we need some m1330 competition

 

Do not expect that much from the store in King of Prussia. I know more technically about what I want to buy than the reps

 

Saw the Sony rep yesterday. She said the july 29th date on her paperwork meant "the in store date" meaning that the SZ 650 will be in the CompUsa store. No clarification on the processor for the SZ 650.

 

God Damn it

July 29~!!!

this is the greatest news I was hoping for for monthes!

I'm praying it's ture, and the new SZ have a better design and 667 support

god dam it, I can got to sleep now~~ haha

 

SS Blake..where did you hear about the July 21,2007 date for the SZ 691

 

Yeah I'd like to know a source on the 21st of July. But this really takes a load of my mind. Now I won't have to break my anti-Dell oath.

 

how many this source is true?

Can we see New Vaio SZ6 in July? It seems very soon, isn't it?
When SZ5 was avalaible? A few months ago...

I was thinking to buy my new SZ5 MN/B this week but...if new SZ is coming in July. Now...what I do?!

 

people in Japan talk about the sz6, sz with santa rosa will come at September earliest.

 

I already brought a T61, So I can wait even it's coming in Sept

 

News on the SZ6 front? Updates from the mysterious sony representative?

 

I'm confused. Some people are talking as if the SZ5 is available now - but I can't see it on the US or UK Sony sites.

What gives?

 

Yes its available, in Europa at least, dunno about Asia?

If I've understood right US is going to skip SZ5 since SZ6 is coming out soon enough.. and SZ5 wasnt really a big upgrade..

No idea about UK though, at least you can get SZ5 from Netherlands..

http://www.laptops4u.nl/categorie/sz-339.html

 

Thankyou, Hessu, that was helpful.

I wonder... Earlier it was proposed July 29th.. True? hrm... Depending, I might prefer that over the Dell model.. On the other hand, the horror stories of Sony Support make me wary..

If anyone has more information about the SZ 5/6, that'd be appreciated.

 

The Sony person from CompUSA was generally correct. SZ600 will have what she said.

 

If Sony continues with this terrible delay, I'm pretty sure the new M1330 will "drain" a lot of customers...

 

Called Sony Style and they said they hadn't heard anything about the SZ with Santa Rosa (and he knew what I was talking about). Ordered the M1330.

 

That's what I'm talking about!

If July 29th is the correct date for the SZ6, Sony has almost a month to lose more customers (myself included).

What upsets me most is this lack of information. Of course they know what we're talking about!

I just don't understand why they can't simply say: "yes, we'll have a new model POSSIBLY by the end of July..." or whatever.

 

Understand that this is the end of their quarter. Do you announce a new model that will damage the sales of your current models or do you wait until the quarter is over to really announce them? Sure we all know they are coming but from a business side of things they want to push out as many SZ400's and TXN's before then make the big push to move to the SZ600's and the TZ. You don't want to hurt your sales numbers.

We'll get the details soon.

 

Yeah, yeah...it's all about business.

But I really don't think that people with a $2k budget would spend it in an "old" SZ, considering these new models in the market...

 

I still think 2k for a sz4 with full specs is an amazing price. I have seen the new specs for the SR vaio sz6 and it seems like the lowest available weight is 4.1 lbs

Until we have some direct napa vs SR vaio sz comparisons, we should all hold back on the " best bang for the buck" comments.

 

So, sounds like you know something we dont

Mind sharing that with us? I believe there are lots of ppl considering to buy new dell M1330 just because we know nothing about upcoming SZ6.. including me. thanks.

 

For the 'standard' as opposed to Premium?

I think the current standard/premium is 4.1 and 3.7 pounds, respectively...

 

I'm definitely considering this new laptop. I love the SZ4 just because of the form factor, and I am a carbon freak. I am going to wait until I see the full specs on Sony's site before I make a decision on a new laptop.

 

So, considering that the new SZ will be available by the last week of this month, when could Sony possibly announce it? One day before?

 

Haha...seems like more companies are starting to act like Apple...ugh!

I looked on their New and Coming soon page, not there

 

Found this on Sony B2B website, it looks like it' on its way indeed!

http://b2b.sony.com/Solutions/product/VGN-SZ680+Build-to-Order+Series

All specs finally available, 8400M GS, hybrid HD, but no HDMI and no blu-ray apparently...

 

Good find. The HDMI is regretable, but the port replicator at least gives DVI output. This is a great competitor with the Dell M1330. If my order gets delayed too long on my M1330, I may consider purchasing this instead.