New Sony Vaio Z speculation/news thread

True, and I'm very surprised by that. Sony has thrown 2 curve balls here - the price and release date.

 

I suppose it depends - I already have too much useless IT junk that I never use. Stuff like AV is free now (Microsoft Security Essentials etc.)

Some pretty ordinary Sony bag - like the one the Z1 used to come in. Or he offered the SA bag. I turned both down.

 

Yeah, but forgive me for sounding a tad picky here, but I was already on the hunt for a flash drive earlier in the day. I was at Funan Challenger looking to purchase either an 8/16 GB model. When the sales associate at mC2 mentioned that he could bundle the Z2 with one, I naturally jumped at the offer.

Ahh, the standard VAIO bag, then. I still have mine from when I bought the Z1 and it's still wrapped in the plastic. Tacky.

So much for the premium bag, then.

 

The release date is good, but you realise that it's notably (>10%) more expensive than in, say, HK right?

 

Hi AC,

I hope you like your new Z. Are you able to tell if the SSD
is a Gen2 or Gen3 ? Also the ac adapter, are you able to help
list the part no ?

Thank you!

 

I love the definitions on urban dictionary!

 

I assume it's Gen2. Any easy way to tell if it's a SATA 3 controller?

The large one is VGP-AC19V46 (19.5V 6.2A output)
The small one is VGP-AC19V49 (19.5V 3.3A output)

The Z1 adapter should work as well.

Edit: anyone know how to check the fast boot option? I can't see anything in the BIOS to configure this.

 

Just download a SSD benchmark tool like AS SSD benchmark.
But shouldn't it show up in the list of installed drives when booting the notebook as well?

 

Hehe. You might have to wait a bit longer, but at least I got a tracking code instead - should hopefully arrive today

 

Bummer! What a dealbreaker!

 

Thanks AC,

Why's there two ACs ? is the smaller one a travel
one that does not support the PMD?

Thanks

 

^
Yup for travel.

 

Yes there are two AC adaptors because the small one cannot supply enough power to both Z2 and the PMD.

Small one : to charge only the Z2 < lighter of course >
the other big one : to power up both PMD and Z2

 

^ Say...out of curiosity...can you plug the big adapter to the laptop and power it?

 

i believed, yes

btw, does anyone know that the PMD require the driver to work? i mean those ports and such. (ie can i installing a window with PMD by DVD?)

 

If the power jack fits, it should power the laptop without a problem, but when I see at the launch event, it can't , because the power jack is different in its size.

CMIIW

 

Yes - doing it right now (installing Windows - no drivers required)

 

Its in vaio control center.

Anyone in US get their tracking numbers yet?

 

Congratulations! I will look forward to your impressions. Still, shipping without that promised coed is just so wrong Sony!

Delighted to see what fun a small typo can create. Nice to know that some things in this world can be counted upon. Thanks for rising to the bait Cowboy and Noap.

 

Oh. I reinstalled using plain Windows 7. Have installed a bunch of Sony utilities etc, but no option in Control Center to adjust this.

 

Does anyone who actually has the unit know what the max resolution is for external monitors? I'm really interested in getting a 27" monitor and this is a decision point for me.

Thx

 

Oh, well you probably did something wrong or missed something. Here is a pic of it I snapped at SonyNYC http://i.imgur.com/5uuWC.jpg

 

^1920x1200 over HDMI, that is what I have been told by Sony. VGA will go higher for sure, and a u2711 will take VGA @ a fairly high resolution but not @ 1440P.

I have been interested in the same thing. That is why I am on hold on the Z2, my Z1+ViDock does WQXGA. This works now -> http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/598920-z1-vidock-gtx-570-ftw-z2-pmd-killer.html


See this thread for a possible future solution http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/600942-vidock-4g-light-peak-z21-possible.html

 

I've not had fast bios boot on a Vaio laptop before; so what are your options if Windows can't load? According to your screenshot, no external USB devices are detected until after Windows loads when fast boot is enabled, so what if Windows is crippled and you need to run a recovery utility (either Sonys or a 3rd party utility) from a USB key? Apparently fast bios can only be enabled / disabled from within Windows using Vaio Control Center? Sounds a bit risky, no?

 

im also irritated with the fan of the old z1. getting my z2 in a week tho.

 

Um...yeah...so if windows totally craps out...how can we recover?

 

It’s probably possible to hold some key during startup that makes the boot go its normal way, or not?

 

Btw did you get Godiva coupons as well when you preorder it? I got 4 $50 coupons when I pre-order two Z217s today. Turns out it seems like around 300 people are pre-ordering the Z in HK.

 

Oh wow I had never thought of that. Could you still install windows from a CD?

 

Wow...they are giving out Godiva coupons too???
I was only told that I would get the Office 2010 business and a free carrying case and the usual 10% discount on accessories.

When did you place the order and how (website/phone/shop)?

I got Godiva coupons when I bought my Z138GG.

 

Went to the Shatin Sony Store. They gave me the coupons already today!
Where did you pre-order urs?

 

Well perhaps you could boot from a Windows 7 DVD in the PMD (provided the PMD isn't treated as a "standard" USB external drive), but I didn't order a PMD!

I've checked the manual (available online) and it would seem the only way to enable or disable fast boot is via the Control Centre.

But surely there has to be a hotkey or something to force a "traditional" boot at startup? Otherwise you'd have to replace the SSD!

 

Btw I'm not sure if someone has tried it already - but the Z cannot start up at all after unplugging the PMD when in hibernation. bit disappointed on that...

 

^
How do you know?

 

^tried that today when in store

 

I wouldn't be so sure the PMDs optival drive would work, if you check that screenshot:
http://i.imgur.com/5uuWC.jpg

"Startup is only possible from a hard disk or SSD built into your VAIO."

 

There has to be a failsafe. I just can't imagine Sony built a "fast boot" that's so fast, you could brick your computer if something goes wrong.

 

Worst case scenario, they might ask you to send it in for warranty repair. Best case scenario, if a normal boot fails, perhaps the Z21 automatically reverts to the default "slow" boot procedure until everything's working again and the user switches the option again in VAIO Control Centre.

Well I suppose we'll find out soon enough, somebody somewhere is currently reinstalling Windows or Linux or something on their brand new Z21 and is going to run into this issue!

 

I received my email from Sony this morning to say that my Z2 was shipping from the factory to the European warehouse. How long on average does it take to be delivered from now? (I am in the UK)

Also are there any decent leather cases for the Z2 yet?

 

I didn't mean to imply I ever stopped. I hope I never do.

 

When I ordered my Z2 I asked the Sony guy about the keyboard being green and he said that its not green that it's white like the SA/SB backlight. Does anyone have a Z2 with the backlight keyboard to confirm? I even showed him the pamphlet where it has a picture in green and he said again that it is white.

Also are all the hard drive setups dual RAID0? The guy told me that the 128 is 64x2, 256 is 128x2, 512 is 256x2.

 

^ Don't know about backlight (I'll tell you in 10 days when my Z will arrive... but at that time other guys will have told you )

About ssds, that's right, always raid 0 that you can eventually disable (and MAYBE activate raid 1)

 

Z has international warranty. My configuration based on current discount is cheaper than Spore which has sheet picture, WWAN and Blue Ray writer...

 

Yea, I can't see myself setting up a RAID1 on a laptop, seems kind of like a waste, especially with SSD.

 

If it won't do 1440, what's the point? The thing won't be sharp.

 

did you just unplug it? or you did the switch it off?

 

Unless my eyes are not sensitive enough, on mine the backlightning looks white indeed...

 

Wow, I'm really interested to know more about that fast boot option. I know that I won't be turning that on until I know how to recover from it. There has absolutely got to be a way to recover from that situation. I wonder if it will honor the keyboard sequence for letting you go into the BIOS. Once there maybe changing a setting like boot order will override the fast boot. If I don't find an answer before I receive my machine then I'll call Sony support on the first day that I have it.

 

I think that I figured it out already. With the computer off, press th "VAIO Assist" button. That is supposed to launch recovery.

I'll have to try it once I get the machine.

 

Well yes, that is the point isn't it? The U2711 should look pretty good with 1080P because it has a good scaler... but at that point you may as well just buy any old 1080P or 1920x1200 monitor and call it a day. I ran my u3011 @ 1920x1200 for a day, before I got the ViDock, and it was very usable. To run a monitor like that at an equal aspect ratio works pretty well but it is just a huge stupid waste.

The way it stands right now the best thing you could do with the Z2 for more screen real estate is get two decent quality 1920x1200 monitors on one of those nice stands, run 'em of the two HDMI ports. That would give you about 50K more pixels than one WQXGA monitor and it would be cheaper.