New Sony Vaio Z speculation/news thread

It's called the 'halo effect'.

 

Hey

It would be interesting to see what the new vaio z will become..but as an owner of this generation vaio z ...i think ill be hanging onto it for a while ...by far the best and most expensive laptop i have ever owned...but i guess its a niche market item...not alot of people would be willing to plunk down 2k for a laptop...

 

I would really love to see the new Z.
I love my two Z's and I will definitely be buying the new one too.

 

I'm also waiting to see it! Then I'll decide what I'll buy


A nice surprise would be the option for an IPS display (like on the recently announced 12.5" Lenovo X220).

 

I love the Sony Z - it is the one I recommend to most customers. What I'd like most on the next one is support for 2 displays as it can easily replace most people's desktop. The only other option that I could see is making a dock with a built in video card that supports 2 monitors.

 

If the Thunderbolt rumours are true, you will be a happy man...

 

That's true, but their profit margins aren't nearly as high.

 

has our lord the enlightened one beaups commented on this?

 

What will you gain from Thunderbolt, now?
I wonder if there is a possibility of Thunderbolt-usb3 adapter? That would put things on the right place.

 

He specifically asked about the possibility of multiple external monitors, which Thunderbolt is designed to do.

In terms of Thunderbolt-USB3, yes. Thunderbolt basically takes Display Port (high bandwidth/resolution video signal) & PCI Express (what everything in your computer runs on), outside the computer on one connector. So you'll be able to get a Thunderbolt- anything adaptor.

I'm quite excited about the possibility of a 30" external monitor (with its own graphics card if you want), connectors for mouse, keyboard, USB3 hard drives etc, all daisy chained together so you can just hook up to it on one port. Oh, and it'll work with any make/model of computer that has Thunderbolt, not like the proprietary docking stations we're all used to.

Read up on it, it's really quite revolutionary. Within a few years I'll be able to have an ultra-thin portable laptop that I can bring home and turn into something more powerful than my workstation.

 

This sounds very promising. Almost too good to be true. I can see daisy chain connecting displays, but does that also gives you option to individually configure display

 

that is more up to your gpu, than the connector available

 

Sony first to market with the faster optical Thunderbolt then?

(I'm assuming it's gotta be something TB-related, since they've been pretty heavily involved along with Intel & Apple)

 

Sony probably is more interested in using Thunderbolt on its home entertainment products, e.g Blu-ray, Playstation and Bravia, than on its less popular PCs. Sony is so obsessed with DRM, new ports with DRM protection on entertainment products will help them to get support from movie studios and music industry.

 

somehow the notebook might be called Sony "VAIO VPCZA"
What i want to be inside:
-Intel Core i7-2649M(25 watts better battery life and should be cooler) or Intel Core i7-2620M(35 watts)
-Nvidia GeForce GT 525M(standard or underclocked) (optimus with 2 way switch auto or speed no stamina, will not have hybrid graphic because hybrid graphic driver stuck at nvidia 26314 with intel 2266 or 2281, futhur update stopped)
-Blu-Ray Writer
-Usb 3.0 1 port, Usb 2.0 2 port, 1 Thunderbolt
-1 mini Display port (with converters to vga, hdmi, dvi)
-1 express card slot
-tpm
-fingerprint
-touchpad
-13.1" 1920x1080 touch panel adobe rgb 100%
-wwan
-wlan
-support external battery(something like VPCSA)
-2mp webcam or 3mp
-bluetooth 3.0 hs
-quad ssd Intel 310 (80*4= 320gb)(1.94cm 4stacked)/quad ssd Toshiba Blade X-gale(128*4=512GB)(8.8cm 4 stacked)/quad ssd Toshiba Blade X-gale(256*4=512GB)(14.8cm 4 stacked), i think best fit by the second option for best weight
-sd and ms card reader
-new slim ac adapter(the one they sell in japan or apple model)
-headphone and microphone port
-gigabit lan
-16GB ram
-new chasis (aluminum & magnesium alloy / carbon fibre)
-docking station with 560M inside
-better speaker(harman & kardon?)
-better placement of light sensor and microphone
-quick bios startup

 

i doubt it'll be called VPC-something

it was originally VGN, now it's VPC, i guess it'll be something like VRT

and the S is still called the S, it just has 3 models, the A, B, and C, just like how different Z's, notably the super expensive Z's, have different numbers/alphabets after the letter "Z"

so, i'm expecting a VRT-Z100 soon (looks pretty cool, but i think it would make a lot more sense if they called it Z-2011 or Z3 to signify it's the 3rd iteration of the Z model)

 

I doubt that the VPC prefix will be dropped soon. I think there was a change from VGN to VPC because they ran out of letters. It was like a generation change after many years. I expect the same with VPC.

 

Ok first things first, I am a novice. I dont know much about hardware and half the things discussed here.

With that said. I was recently on the phone with a Supervisor at Sony while trying to decide whether to go with the Z or the new S Series Vaio.

He said that the Z is finished and that the new S Series is replacing it. (assuming its the SB or SC - can anyone confirm?)

So my concern is now which laptop do I buy? I'm not sure I want to buy a model that would be discontinued but that doesn't matter so much.

What makes the new S or the new Z better than the other? Both come with I7 processor, 8 gigs of ram, and the SSD drive. Basically, I want the top of the line. the S is 13.3" and the Z is 13.1" so Im assuming they are basically the same size and weight.

The new S has the Intel® Wireless Display which i think is great because i can stream movies to my HDTV (instead of plugging into the the HDMI input) and I watch alot of movies on my computer.

But is the top of the line S still less superior to the top of the line Z? What do I gain or lose from one of the other? Obviously the Z is nicer in looks. Keep in mind I will also have to buy a refurbished model of the Z if that is my choice.

I would appreciate the help in making this agonizing decision. S or Z?

 

new Z coming out early summer

Z is sony's flagship model, S is sony's top of the line consumer model

Z is quite a bit smaller than S, the 13.3 inches of the S refers to screen size, this doesn't take into account the size of the screen bezels, which are apparently huge on the S, meaning that the width and length of the laptop is noticeably larger than the Z

in fact, the Z is smaller than my 12.1 inch dell xps m1210

if you want to gauge the size difference, take the current Z and compare it to the macbook pro 13 (should be approximately the same size as the S)

also, as far as i know, only the SB is available right now, which is made of magnesium alloy (SA has carbon fiber), and because it is larger, there is quite a difference in weight between the S and Z (Z is carbon fiber)

current Z has first generation i5/i7, current S has second generation i5/i7, the second generation i5/i7 is much better

all laptops with 2nd generation core i5/i7 chips have intel wireless display, meaning that the current Z cannot do this, but the new Z will be able to

 

Thank you!

I knew there had to be a reason why the S looked much bigger than the Z.

How do the graphics cards compare?

Do we know 1000% that there will be a new Z this summer?

Not sure what to do at this point since I kind of need a new laptop now but dont want to be stuck with something outdated and discontinued.

Any advise or wisdom?

 

gpu in S is much better than gpu in Z, and chances are (if it follows trend of Z and SR back in the day) that the new Z will still have a weaker gpu than the S

yes, there will definitely be a new Z, and gathering from what our insider source has told us, a physical model of it already exists

so a big part is whether you want to wait another 2 to 3 months, chances are .. the earliest you could possibly get it in your hands is in 3 months

 

The new SB has lower screen resolutions than the Z (either FHD or 1600x900). I doubt that the new S is the new Z. It's also funny that SB has an aluminium keyboard palm rest while the current gen Z has plastic rest. Yikes!

 

apparently, the plastic reduces heat transfer to your hands. don't quote me, its just what i heard from this forum.

 

The resolution for the S that I've seen on the Sony site is lower than 1600 X 900. Maybe it will configurable but I didn't see where. Also, re the speculation about the USB 3 ports on the Z, I remember seeing it on at least one version of the new S, and of course the F has it, so Sony can't be completely opposed. Oddly, when I went into the Sony Style store to look at an S it didn't have the USB 3. When I asked the salesguy about this he consulted and both of them tried to tell me it only comes with the USB 2. When I said I had seen it on the site, they hopped on their bikes for some quick backpeddling and said that only those on the site have it but none in the store. I just looked at the guy and thought, "Wow, you really can shovel it". I've learned not to trust what Sony sales people say. Oh, they also told me that the Z will refresh in the summer, for whatever that is worth.

 

i wonder why they didnt use carbon fiber then, i'm sure there's better material to reduce heat transfer than plastic

also, sony has an investment in thunderbolt, usb 3's direct competition, i doubt sony will implement it in any laptop that is released from hereon out (the F has it, probably because thunderbolt was not released yet and it needed to be competitive to sell)

 

You may well be correct, but didn't they just release the new S with USB 3? Perhaps this is just wishful thinking on my part because the lack of a USB 3 is what is keeping me from purchasing a Z.

 

nope, the new S does not have usb 3

and i'm expecting expressport and thunderbolt on the z, so there will definitely be usb3 adapters for those

and the only things that would benefit from usb 3 are usb 3 peripherals, ... and so far i haven't seen anyone i know using it.. once thunderbolt is rolled out more, i'm expecting thunderbolt will take over usb 3

i really dont see the benefit of usb 3 right now

 

Yes, the new S series does have usb 3. Check the specs on the Sony website.

 

oh, sorry about that, thought i read somewhere that it didnt

 

btw, the vaio z is back on sonystyle

 

^ ha ha the Z finally back on sonystyle huh?!
hmm.... it comes with 256GB SSD for that price....
bye

 

All VPC-Z models have been removed from Sonystyle Hong Kong.

 

Great news. Thanks for the info. Appreciate it.

 

Except it's only a pre-config(or single config i guess). No option for 1080p screen ... i wish i could trade in my 900p screen for a 1080p screen for $100 right now...

 

That's interesting. Again, thanks for the info. Appreciate that.

 

Sony Store Germany still offers the full range of CTO models, even with international QWERTY keyboard.

 

Wow. That's awesome.

 

Chris from Sony insider has some info which I would imagine is the new Z

Sony Insider Exclusive: New VAIO Hybrid PC and VAIO Chrome Coming This Summer

 

Thanks for the link!

 

+1 rep. Thanks for sharing. This coincides well with all the speculation and rumoring thus far. It also corroborates the comments from Beaups some weeks earlier.

Consider me excited! June can't come fast enough!!!

 

Hrmm, both units combined together are ~4 pounds, almost 1 pound heavier than the current "all in one" Z. It sounds like Sony is taking on the Macbook Air diectly with this computer, but then having the add on bit to make it a fully functioning notebook.

I think I'm pretty happy that I bought my Z at the end of last year. The SA isn't really nicer than this, and the new Z seems to be too radical/ unorthodox for me to be jealous of (yet).

 

The Sony Insider article can be interpreted in a way that the new Z (the actual laptop) will not have VGA Output, RJ45 Ethernet port and USB. So the laptop will only have Lightpeak and HDMI ports.

Will these really be only available in the "second unit"? If so, then that's a pretty big tradeoff, e.g. I wouldn't be able to connect it to anything except WLAN.

 

I am guessing it should have at least one usb port...

 

Wow that's crazy... I don't know though... i'd prefer my system be all in one and if need be, DIY ViDock . But this really does seem like a MBA competitor... have to tell my friend before he gets a MBA and bootcamps windows on it...

 

Hey.... hmmmm... i think both of these new laptops will each have a WEI of 3 (or 4) like netbooks

 

Hopefully, they're not going to top it off by soldering the SSD onto the motherboard! LOL!

Jokes aside, is it just me or does Sony's top of the line VAIO series seem more & more unappealing with each iteration since the old VGN-Z series?

 

^I think it's just you what exactly made the vpc-z less appealing than the vgn-z?

 

It seems like there are a couple of different paths the Z could take, although not necessarily mutually exclusive. Path 1 would be an MBA competitor, lighter and possibly less capable than the SA (no integrated ODD, etc.). The other possibility, call it Path 2, would be a "halo"machine. It might well be lighter than the SA and have an external ODD but would have capabilties found no where else in the form factor, i.e., FHD, quad-core, Thurderbolt and other high-end possibilities (OLED option? -- probably not). A Path 2 approach would also mean a far higher price tag, perhaps $3-4K or more when fully configured.

I would be curious to know which path Sony is taking (or something completely different).

 

Beaups, can you comment on my question?
Will the main unit of the new Z have standard ports like USB and VGA (and maybe Ethernet and memory card reader)?

Thanks very much!

 

@beaups, so are you saying those weight ratings on the website are incorrect? Because 1.13kg for the main unit and an additional .68kg are 2.49 pounds and 1.5 pounds which add up to 3.99 pounds.

Something I like about the new MBA is that they have SSD sticks which are similar to RAM sticks in terms of accessibility (on most computers) and replacement. I wonder if Sony will implement this because they're more or less a standard form factor and they save more space than a conventional SSD unit.

Hope RAM nor SSD are not soldered though.