New Sony Vaio Z speculation/news thread

In Google Chrome, it pops up automatically when text is not in english - thin blue bar right above the webpage itself. Just click on "Translate".

 

if you look at the latest review link posted, i see a TPM chip next to the ssd shot

 

Z2 is up on Portable One's site. No sign of Gold yet.

Sony VAIO Z2 Series

 

Can someone please tell me if in new Z can you exchange WWAN card since they are obviously locked to ATT or SPRINT? What card can be used to get working 3G in europe for instance (travelling a lot) and their plans are with sim cards...

 

Of course, who wouldn't?

It's not the length of the post that's an issue, it's just that there are additional Z advantages that weren't mentioned directly in your post although they have been extensively discussed. Options such as WWAN, the slice battery and the PMD provide the Z2 with functionality for even non-power users that the MBA can't provide.

I guess that's what the ADH insurance is for.

Indeed.

 

give up...i brought this point up earlier and they tried telling me it wasn't actually tapered and i was being fooled by an optical illusion....

 

I was at the Sony shop again today and was told that its release date in Singapore (and probably SEA) will be pushed back to sometime in mid-August. I guess the shortage is more serious than previously thought. Oh well.. thought I could get my grubby paws on a shiny new Z this week.

 

Ah, i missed that. Ok, thats one down. Any word on Hardware virtualization support? That's the only thing keeping me from pulling the trigger at this point.

 

It does taper, but not as much as you actually think. The sides of the mba make it look like a rectangular prism sliced diagonally in half. This is very much NOT the case. As soon as you leave the edge, the curves of the body bring it back to a more rectangular shape.

Its a very clever design, but i like the design of the Z better. Lines and angles beats curves any day when ur talking modern design and appeal imo.

 

pmack
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Join Date: Jun 2011
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Re: New Sony Vaio Z speculation/news thread
<hr style='color:#EEEEEE' size='1'> Quote:

Originally Posted by lovelaptops The Z (1 or 2) is a BMW. Performance beyond the MBA on pretty much every level. Modifiable to make it better and better. Z2 suffers from same inability to upgrade or modify as MBA (boo!)

i stopped reading here

ps. i can assure you there are many more aftermarket "add ons" for a honda than a bmw, but that's not why I stopped reading

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Nice edit of what I wrote, which was:

"The Z (1 or 2) is a BMW. Performance beyond the MBA on pretty much every level. Modifiable to make it better and better. Z2 suffers from same inability to upgrade or modify as MBA (boo!) but leaves less to need for upgrading, if you can pay the price to fully equip it when new, whereas top config of MBA is worse than last year's Z.

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Sorry if my analogy to Honda wasn't perfect, in that there are many after-market mods available for it. I think it was clear that the adequate-but-not-exceptional performance vs. top rate performance that I was referring to. Also, with the Z1 in my comparison, lots and lots of upgrades are indeed possible.

Since that wasn't the reason you stopped reading there, what was? Just too long? or do you take issues with other things mentioned?

Critique is welcomed. Don't know why you are just looking to trash.

PS: I have edited my original posts, but just for two typos. All of the above was in it. We're over this, yes?

 

Info on virtualization support for the cpus used at Intel:
Compare Intel® Products
(unless Sony cripples the functions through the bios...)

 

Well said. Just to be clear, I said:

"Base unit beats the heck out of the new MBA and PMD makes it at once the most powerful notebook and most powerful DTR at the same time."

and...

[referring to MBA] "Battery life stuck at OEM; No upgrade, no sheet battery, no 15 hr endurance..."

It's kind of hard to ensure every single pro/con is included in each post, even a long one. I'm still going with my initial self-critique: when post is too long, peoples' eyes glaze over and they miss things that were clearly stated. My bad. But not grounds for dissing things I DID say.

 

I hope you don't think I was dissing what you said and I should have noted the sheet battery reference. None of this changes the fact that you're correct, the Z2 is waaay beyond the revamped MBA (at a premium) and a used Z1 is a far closer analogy to a BMW Z1 than the newest MBA (or 13" MBP).

 

The Z1 and most other US model VAIOs are NOT locked. I assume that the Z2 will have some sort of GOBI card that will work with any carrier. This is how the Z1 works. It is just a matter of changing the firmware to match your carrier, very easy with "Onc Click Internet"

see this thread for which applies to the last couple generations of VAIO
http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...lution-tested-works-new-z-win7-64bit-pro.html

 

No one in his right mind views the MacBook Air as "competing" with a Vaio Z.
MBA specs and price point make that eminently clear. Why is anyone wasting time discussing this straw man?

 

Because many media articles are describing the MBA as a Z competitor (or the other way around).

 

Better analogy: Mini Cooper vs. Audi TT - two of the only cars in such a small car size class (in the states) and obviously not competing models. Yet when looking up cars in that size bracket the media always mentioned the two because their just aren't that many available to begin with. That and the Apple marketing machine is pretty good at getting their name in many places

 

Thank you for explaining the chrome translate function

What do you think about the performance of the external gpu? I´m sure special drivers are needed, so driver upgrades are not easy...

 

Many media "reviewers'" base their "reviews" on press releases and never even touch the product. Other reviewers are just plain stupid.

My question remains: why waste the forum's time comparing two completely different laptops that were designed from Day One to serve completely different user sets?

 

Because even though the best Z2 configuration beats the best MBA configuration, and the worst MBA configuration is worse than the worst Z2 configuration, the range of Z2s still overlaps with the range of MBAs.

Such comparison is not possible in the last generations of the Z and MBA, because the Z1 had both the discrete GPU and ODD in the laptop itself. But with the adoption of LightPeak, and the inability of consumers to upgrade the memory and disk, the Z2 has fallen into the same category as the MBA.

What we can't compare at this time is the external GPU, aka the PMD. The Z2's PMD has been released and has been found to be wanting, while the MBA's has not appeared. But it seems that any PMDs that Apple or its partner vendors builds will be usable across more models (e.g. MBPs), while Sony has only its Z2s that can use its PMD.

 

As a standalone laptop, they are actually pretty similar. Both are currently within the same niche environment albeit targeting different user classes. For most of the people looking to purchase a premium ultra-thin laptop, there aren't many choices available.

 

you're getting the idea that apple will make an eGPU from where?

 

Ahh, Caselogic, not Logitech. Thanks!

 

.......~facedesk~

 

This could be a good sleeve to use without sheet battery. I think it looks pretty good too. Amazon.com: Be.ez 100678 LA robe Sleeve for Macbook Air (Black and White): Electronics

I'll probably buy 2 sleeves. 1 for when using the main unit only and 1 for when i have to carry the sheet battery and/or power adapter or in the rare case i need to take the pmd somewhere.

EDIT: actually the depth of the Z is 8.27 while that of the air is 8.94, so you might have a little more than half an inch of wiggle room. The width matches pretty well (12.8 air vs 13 z) so you could squeeze in those .2 inches.

I think it could still work though. I'll probably get this, unless someone finds something better of course

possible second sleeve (Matching!) : http://www.amazon.com/be-ez-100416-...?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1311559631&sr=1-13

 

CPU supports it. It's just a matter of whether Sony exposes this in the BIOS. However the Z1 does have this option in the BIOS, so the chances of these being available in the Z2 are pretty good.

 

Thanks for the resurrection Btw, I would be willing to sell someone my used Z1 for the BMW Z1, and I'd even throw in $1,000 cash to sweeten the deal.

 

Z1 Had a slot for SIM card. Is there anyway to use a SIM in Z2?

 

I thought there was already a Thunderbolt external PCIe enclosure...? Not from apple, but definately designed for it.

 

The Z2 will not have a 1080p displey in sweden and max 256GB SDD storage. Rest of the specifications will be maxed out. Price 4 726 USD

 

hahahhahaha 5k USD, that's ridiculous

 

More info

Best modell, price 4,7k USD (4,4k in germany)
Intel ® Core ™ i7 2.70 GHz 2620m
Genuine Windows ® 7 Professional
International English QWERTY
256 GB SATA SSD flash Gen3
8GB of 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM
PMD with DVD drive
33.2 cm LCD, 1600x900 + camera
Wireless WAN
security Features
Without long-life battery
Backlit keyboard
No Office 2010 Full Version
No virus protection
Without Adobe ® Creation
Without Adobe ® Lightroom 3
Without Imagination Studio Suite
included
1 Power Supply
Intel ® HD 3000 Graphics
Bluetooth ® 2.1
Wireless LAN (802.11a/b/g/n)

slice battery cost 200 usd extra.

 

Do someone know a way to Buy in Germany or UK and they ship it to eg Sweden?

 

if i lived in sweden, i would just order through conics

 

Nothing in Europe?
will cost in total of 4,7k USD

Windows OS
Windows 7 Home Prem 64bit
Colour
Carbon top, Black inside
Power Media Dock
DVD Multi Drive in the Dock
CPU
Core i7-2620M[2.70GHz] .... ships END of August (order ...
CPU
Core i7-2620M[2.70GHz] .... ships END of August (order now, 10% deposit)
Display
13.1" 1920 x 1080 (Full HD 1080)
Memory (RAM)
8GB DDR3 RAM
Drive (SSD / HDD / Burner)
SSD RAID (256GB total)
WiMAX / WiFi wireless networking
WiFi a/b/g/n MIMO 3x3
Wireless WAN 3G/LTE Networking (locked)
no WWAN required
Earphones
Not Required
Security
Not Required
Web Camera
Yes, Internal (HD cam)
Keyboard
US English
Keyboard Back Light
yes, Keyboard Back Light
1st Battery
Basic Battery + Bottom Sheet battery
Warranty
1 year International* + 2 years Japan (Basic)

 

finally been put up on sony australia:
VPCZ217GG : Z Series : VAIO Notebooks & Computers : Sony Australia
price isn't there but sony reps say AUS$3999.
No thanks.
Only one model to choose from, and you have no choice but to get the PMD.
How can they get it so wrong...

 

Hey guys, probably it has already been said but, if you buy the sheet battery with the laptop.. which color will ti be?? Always black or of the same laptop's color?

 

^In the US, all the colors are black on the outside anyway. We've only seen pictures of black, so I'm guessing there isn't a gold sheet battery.

 

There's another tech area where a system is being broken up into two parts and that is a good thing for the consumers. Here I'm kind of sad that the Vaio Z is no longer one unit. I'm afraid the act of splitting will gradually force Sony to lower the price ultimately removing the premium status. That is the goal in the other tech area.

If MBA uses a better screen, it would beat the Z2 already (in my view). I think Apple is not doing it maybe because that may be the job of the MBP 13". I shall pay more attention to the next release of 13" MBP...

 

The MBA would still be slower, and not have any better battery life...

I was going to wait it out for the MBP refresh, too, but then Intel pushed back their Ivy Bridge lines , so I gave up and bought a cheap (but acceptable) S series since the new Z was kinda dissapointing.

I dunno, I'm still stuck on what's a "super" laptop that's actually portable, anymore In the past, it was undeniably Sony, but we may see that shift before our eyes! Right now, I still view the upper end of the Sony SA line as, "the best in it's league," with the Z2 being it's cohort, instead of it's permenant leader.

 

This one?
SHOP Conics : Sony Vaio Type Z Core i7, 512GB raid SSD options

 

yup! you get everything for the same price

 

In the end 4,4k for Vaio + 0,25k för shipping + 25% taxes when imported into Sweden = 5 662 USD = Nice, I am poor

 

The one issue I haven't been concerned about with the Z2 is that it won't be expensive enough.

 

That's really expensive. Here in Singapore, a Sony store employee quoted a similar figure for the lone configuration that will probably be released to the local market.

I don't know about you guys, but Sony is getting it all wrong. I have enough saved up for the new Z, but I'm not going to spend $4000 on one. That's insane.

If that's the case, I might have to order through Conics. Does anyone have prior experience with them? Are they entirely reliable? Thanks in advance.

 

Conics is a reputable gray market re-seller, they have been around for 10 years and they are great. I've purchased computers from them before.

 

4000$???
Might as well fly to HK and buy it for 2700$ the exact same model...

 

The MBA uses a ULV processor and has a 50WH battery...not to mention OSX's powersipping status. It will CERTAINLY have better real-world battery life than the Z (sans slice battery).

 

^based on the reviews of the Z though, the battery life also seems to be very good. apple lists the mba battery at 7hours, so maybe a little less in real world. If ur just doing light browsing on the Z, I wouldn't be surprised if the battery life surpassed the mba.

 

^Not gonna happen. Remember apple actually rates their batteries in "real world performance"...web browsing at least. When Apple says "7 hours" it means 7 hours of web surfing at reasonable brightness.

When other vendors (looking at you, Sony)...say "7 hours", it means screen brightness all the way down and staring at your desktop

I won't go into an Apple vs. PC war, I think the Z smokes the MBA. But battery life won't be the same.