New Sony Vaio Z speculation/news thread

https://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wc...10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666218179

Just bought

 

how much is that?

 

US$ 2,999 (in a DC outlet)

 

I mean...sony should def be at computex right? If not, e3 then? They are on the list for that.

 

E3 and sony would be more or less about the new PSP aka sony NGP, any new laptops can just be introduced using a press release, doesn't have to be at a show.

 

not bad, the original price is $4500

 

good price, the only problem is the fear of getting a lemon

 

But the Vaio Z2 is kinda a big deal....should be worth more than a press release lol

 

can we get an update for when this baby will be announced? june?

 

How much do we know about the dock at this point?

1. Can the dock operate without being plugged into the wall? If not, what happens if you are playing a video game, and you want to wander away with your laptop?

2. Will docks be offered without a BlueRay burner? I do not need one, and this sounds needlessly expensive.

 

There is no freakin' dock, or if there is, it's unrelated to the external ODD/GPU which is not a dock.

 

I appreciate your response. It looks like you are stating:

- There is a dedicated GPU option.
- The dedicated GPU option exists as an external unit.
- The external GPU unit is not a dock.

(I assume the 'dock' distinction is that the external GPU unit is not 'mobile'. Instead, the external GPU unit is meant to permanently reside on a desk. It likely connects to the laptop via a cable, or is otherwise not 'mobile'.)

If the above statements are true, this laptop does not sound like an attractive option for me. I think the SA may better suit my needs.

 

I actually hope there is no dock, no DVD/Bluray drive, just a neat body with 1080p IPS RGB LED, and a more robust chassis.

 

Yes, the Vaio z2 will come with an external component that will have an AMD Whistler GPU and ODD that will connect to the computer via thunderbolt(light peak). It is meant to remain permanently on a desk. This solution allows the laptop to be even lighter, at 2.5 lbs.

Don't forget that whenyour on the go, you will still have access to sandy bridge graphics, which is very capable.

 

The external ODD/GPU weighs about 1.5lbs. It doesn't need to remain permanently on a desk. You can take it anywhere.

 

Well i guess you COULD, but that would kinda defeat the purpose.

 

Do u know if it will have barrel hinge like the old Z? TIA

 

According to beaups the barrel hinge is gone to allow for more thinness. Here is a picture of it.

 

dream on...

 

looks much more robust than the z1

 

Great, did you buy it online? I want

 

IPS won't happen. It's a consumer laptop, meaning more people will play games and watch videos than edit photos. TN displays have a much faster refresh rate than IPS, and is cheaper to produce too.

 

Thanks so muchie! U've helped me decide on an old Z with barrel hinge now instead of waiting. + rep

 

Is there any chance that Sony releases this at E3 2011, if sony does not release this in June I am gonna buy the Envy 14 SB

 

It was rumored to be released end of June/early June a few months ago. Since then no update on that.

 

My friend bought it for me while she's in DC, not online, and I'm waiting day by day picking her up

 

Not really. Some people, myself included, need an ODD only on limited occasions so I could take the unit with me the 10% of times I might want it and leave it behind and have the weight savings the other 90% of the time.

The same concept applies to the slice battery. Just because I would want it only a handful of times doesn't mean its supposed to left on a desk by a power cord.

 

Not on desktop monitors. IPS 8-6ms G2G has the same performance as a TN 2-3ms G2G.

 

sorry for not going thru all 148 pages..but can someone that has been following the new Z series give up a summary of what the current speculations are? and any pros/cons?

im trying to decide between SA and the new Z.

 

Hi guys, any idea of the price of Z134GX/B i5 460 2.53, SSD 128,LCD 1600x900 3G GPS brand new just around US$1500? I doubt a little?

 

Why does he have to dream, alot of notebook companies are including rbg ips screens in their high end laptops

 

From what we've gathered in rumors:

Its going to feature a 2 component system where the 2nd part is meant to be left on a desk.

1st component: Actual laptop
Crazy light (2.5 lbs)
Very thin.
SB i7 w/ intel hd3000 graphics (i5 optiosn as well probably)
13.3in 1080p screen (900p option probably) Vaio Premium Display << beautiful
SSD
4-8gb RAM
backlit keyboard
webcam
8hour battery life, 16.5hours with sheet battery

2nd component: External ODD/GPU
1.5lb
shaped similarly to external DVD Drive
AMD 6770m or 6730m with 1gb vram
Blu ray reader (burner upgradeable)
Connects via thunderbolt to 1st part (might be a thunderbolt usb3.0 combo)

Barrel hinge gone (see pic above)
Release end of june/early july
starting price: around $2000

http://www.sonyinsider.com/2011/03/...hybrid-pc-and-vaio-chrome-coming-this-summer/

If money isnt a problem and you value extreme portability, wait for the Z. It will be a much higher quality notebook.

 

6730 will be a big disappointment as far as i'm concerned. Since the GPU is external they are not constrained by heat or battery issues (since the external GPU is designed to be used when the laptop is plugged into AC power). They really should have gone balls out and used a superduper powerful GPU that can handle hardcore gaming.. I mean, why not?

 

Can I add one thing, the Z will be the only vaio on the market that is made in japan. That's a big plus for me.

 

Cost?
too niche of a market?
It will likely be 6730 with 6770 upgradeable. the 6770 can still handle lots of modern games on high settings.
And in high hopes, the GPU might be swappable.

 

Thanks so much goldentreesang! excellent post summarizing the thread.

For me...the idea of an external ODD and GPU is a no go...I have a powerful desktop...I don't need something else on my desk...when this desktop is so much better for gaming.

If the external ODD and GPU was somehow very portable...that could change my mind...but i rather have the ODD and GPU in my laptop for my purposes.

Looks like im getting the Vaio SA as soon as someone confirms the display quality...if the screen sucks...I'll try to grab an older Z model ...

 

SA is a Vaio Plus display i believe, so not as good as the older Z's Premium Display, but i don't think it will "suck" either.

 

Are they better than the SB Display though?

Lastly, out of curiosity - would you recommend Vaio SA or an older Z Series?

 

As I am, I'll take the older Z, just like choosing a 2009 Mercedes S class instead of 2011 E . One more thing, Z's made in Japan, as Dannisan said.

 

Def. I would go for the older Z. SA and SB may have slightly better specs but I like the design of the Z much more. Display is very nice as well!

 

i just talked to a rep on the phone..and he said the S Series has a better screen quality than the Z series did...arg...i don't get that.

He also said that a refreshed Z series wouldnt be likely until end of this year..like in Sept or something. He said that the Z series would never have an external GPU/ODD because its mostly targeted to business users.... soooo confused.....

FYI - this guy was knowledgeable about laptops...he was a nerd...and built his own pcs..and knew all the lingo and parts/hardware by heart....so he was legit in his knowledge..and technical...so i kinda believed what he told me....

soooo confused.....

 

I think your friend is mistaken about the extrnal GPU/ODD.. Search this thread.. This leads me to doubt the rest of what he has told u..

 

So the best plan is waiting for new Z, the luxuriest.

 

im done waiting...ive been waiting for like over 6 months.

I just have to decided whether 256GB SSD is worth the $600 premium...on the Vaio SA

 

You are going to be sadly wishing you would have waited in a month.

Honestly, if you have waited this long, what is an extra month to you? Do you NEED a new laptop right now?

 

No but i am not attracted to the new Z Series...I don't want an external ODD/GPU...that's a deal breaker for me...

so what else do I have to wait is the new Z Series doesn't appeal to me?? plus...its going to cost soooo much...like $3k for what I can get for 2k from the SA....

FYI - the rep just told me that the SA is the new Z Series....lol

 

I just got an older Z yesterday

 

why would you even consider paying for RAM or HDD/SSD upgrades from a CTO? especially when they use standard parts...

 

def. not paying for ram...

I am just not sure how easy/hard it is to remove HDD and install SSD into the Vaio SA...if it's not easy...than I rather just pay Sony to do it for me..i dont mess around with laptops..i only have desktop experience .

and what do you mean by Standard parts? how much worse is the Sony SSD vs. aftermarket??

 

sony's ssds are proprietary, and sometimes use proprietary connectors like in the z11.

to get to the HDD, basically:

unscrew the bottom of the machine

remove HDD

install SSD

close the bottom

run a win 7 install

download drivers from sony (those are listed in the first post of the S series lounge)