New Sony Vaio Z speculation/news thread

on the Vaio Z, the SSDs were "proprietary", but that's because the Z's SSD were in RAID0. However, if a laptop is using a 2.5" drive, then you can swap with any other 2.5" drive. (Even on the Vaio Z, you can replace the ODD with 2.5" SSD/HDD)

 

the SSDs on the S series are also on raid 0. the z11 as far as I remember used proprietary connectors, which was changed in the latter versions.

 

Hmm that is interesting... but because there's an option for an HDD model, that implies there's at least space for a 2.5" drive and i'd much rather go for an aftermarket SSD as opposed to Sony's own SSD's unless they use some Sandforce based ones... (intel or crucial i'd take too) but for the SSD upgrade price, it's better to go aftermarket anyhow

 

1 more month to go



on a side note, i feel sorry for sony, they have been hacked so much lately and with the earthquake... if this happened to any other company, i'm not sure they'd be able to hang on

 

Well you can still can do it with your current Z11, but you'll need an 1.8" and a new connector that came with Z12/Z13

 

Do we know that for sure?

 

lol, only thing I'm getting out of that is he doesn't know squat.

 

yep, it was leaked in the FCC filings.

 

That is essential for me also. All of my VAIOs are made in Japan.

 

requiem, that rep u were talking to clearly has no idea what he's talking about. He might know alot about computers in general, but that doesn't mean he is up to date to teh latest vaio z rumors. The "sa replacing z" rumors are really dated and something he probably just searched up on google without looking at the posting date.

 

^SONY rep searching goolge to give information to a customer about their (upcoming) products, solid work, lol

 

Well, you can't expect all their reps to be as informed as their engineers... I mean how large is Sony, and these guys are simply just CSRs hired to talk to people...

 

I say get the 256GB and be done with it.

 

Right. And that's why I expect him to tell me he doesn't know anything about that instead of googling around and giving false information to their customers.

 

I once talked to a rep at a Sony Store and we chatted about what I'd like and he suggested that I go to the Apple Store - he said that they had better products. This was about six months before the Sony Store closed. That particular store was rather haphazard.

The reps at the Apple Stores have no clue about coming products - Apple is pretty heavy on secrecy and they don't tell their own folks until the last minute.

So I'm hoping that your guy is wrong.

 

I was just thinking about how much I don't like the way things are going. More computers made in China and a very limited selection of top notch products from Japan. I guess it does make the final purchase choice a little easier, when I bought the Z there was not other product that compared to it. It looks like it will be the same story when the new Z comes out. I might just put my money into upgrading the current Z, a 600GB SSD in the newmodeus caddy would be a great start. Maybe add a ViDock with an absurd GPU. I don't know what I'm going to do. I wish there was some real news about this new Z.

 

what other computers are made in japan?

 

All Panasonics, many Fujitsu machines, and a few Toshiba (the smaller high-end models) notebooks. Japanese companies are offshoring more and more production as the yen continues to rise.

 

There are a lot of laptops made in japan but they are only sold in japan.

 

I already got 2 512G SSDs and ready to rock.

 

I wouldn't say the Z is THE best on the market. I do have a X61s with SXGA+ IPS (furnished with 256G ssd), a T61q with QXGA 2nd gen IPS (furnished with 512G ssd). these 2 are definitely on par with Z!

 

not really a leak, it's available for everyone to see lol

 

No, keep your Z1x. The thing I really worry about is the entire brain trust that keeps all the threads for this machine going will depart in droves for "the next best thing." We, who fairly recently purchased or upgraded our Zs and joined this exclusive Z Owners Club, and who are sticking with our Z1x's for at least another year, cannot get by with only one thread (owners' lounge) for this amazingly complex machine with no actual company supporting it...well, we want you to STAY. Please.

EDIT: And by the way, wouldn't it make far more sense to use a ViDock with an "absurd GPU" be far more powerful and cost far less than whatever single-purpose, overpriced glitz this Sony thing looks to be? Also, if you would be doing without a gpu in the new Z, it probably makes more sense to stick with the present/past model so you have summbit more graphics power away from your desktop, and the best graphics power imaginable through the ViDock. I have seen people get 3dMark06 scores over 15,000 using a ViDock and an HP 2730 w/C2D low voltage cpu; that would translate to something like 25,000 possible when the computing engine is a Z with a Core i7M or even Core i5M. Just saying, is all. Ya think?

 

When I think of that external ODD/GPU thingy, I am expecting nothing but bad driver support from sony as we already know it. This thing will most likely be another custom hybrid system with a lot of hassle to build some custom drivers like the current Z (thank god we have hacked BIOS!). I am absolutely fine with my current, loaded Z and my x1.Opt DIY ViDock which probably is more cabable than the upcoming Z's GPU unit.

Not really, but 15000 3dmks06 with a current Z is no big deal - lets you play SC2 on ultra FHD. I recently enjoyed much playing through crysis 2 with my Z on FHD w/ hardcore settings, getting good rock solid 40 FPS.

 

with your VIDock, does that mean you have to use an external display?

 

Not sure if its been posted before, but I've just got an email from the Japanese Vaio store with their new offerings.

It seems that the Vaio X, Y and Z (and maybe some other ones that I've missed) are listed as Sold out or discontinued.

 

I think so...

I think Thunderbolt allows for GPUs to be placed outside of the chassis (via PCI-E), which means the same laptop screen can be used. Whereas for ViDock an external monitor must be used. If the connector between the new Z's secondary and primary units are indeed Thunderbolt (without Sony's proprietary fiddlings), then I think it may be better to buy only the main unit. This depends on whether (1) someone else is building a similar secondary unit and (2) Sony allows us to buy just the primary unit (not likely I suppose).

Perhaps sold out due to lack of components, in turn due to earthquake + tsunami?

 

beaups said that's no option, it's bundled.

 

Some people might want a second external unit and some might not want one at all. I can see some selling and trading going on. I don't want any ATI crap. If I buy the new Z I would probably sell the GPU/ODD.

Again I am leaning more towards beefing up the current Z. For example if I buy $2K worth of SSD for the Z that would be pretty awesome, two X18's and a 600GB 2.5". That would give me 920GB of the fastest SSD on the market. I am doing the WWAN mod on my Z which will free up the express card to do something else. I am seriously considering the ViDock.

I guess my point is that I would have a lot more computer if I took the $3K+ that I would spend on the new Z and used it to upgrade the one I have.

 

Yeah, those were last year's models. Earthquake or not, Sony has to shift focus onto building their latest laptops.

 

Sorry if it has been asked, how much will the base model cost?

 

The base model of the new Z should be about 2K.

 

I knew you must have struck a gold vein Just drop me a line if you want some game benchmarks of a eGPU setup I am running (DIY ViDock w/ GTX460 or GTX580).

I mean, a 250$ shipped GTX4x0 eGPU setup compares to a HD6970M (and in DX10/DX11, the NVidia eGPU leaves the Radeons somewhat behind). I think we will get something in the HD6630M/HD6830M range with the new Z's external unit, and this is around 3 times slower.

 

has anyone thought that maybe the external GPU/ODD is attachable to the laptop?? I mean...in a way that still makes it very portable but just adds a little weight...almost like a clip on...

idk...just a thought...it would require some creativity...but if u can attach the gpu/odd in such a way that it doesn't require a desk..or the hardware dangling on the laptop...that would be awesome...id consider the new Z then...

if you have to have a desk to connect the gpu/odd...ill pass...defeats the point of a portable laptop as ppl have mentioned.

 

^ nope, it's going to dangle

 

^All we know from our insider is that it's connected via cable, has the approximate size of an external ODD and can be lying flat on the surface (horizontal position) or standing upright (vertical position).

 

well then the new Z isnt for me...

Old Z vs. new SA....if anyone has comments on which of those i should get, im open to opinions. Thanks,

 

Dear Requiem, please check out the SA Series thread:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...es-discussion-sonys-next-new-13-3-laptop.html

or one of the older VPC-Z threads.

There's also a VPC-Z vs SB thread going on:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/581720-z-vs-sb.html

 

It all depends on the screen in the SA, and unless it's happened since I last looked at that thread, it's still an unknown. Just because it has the same resolution as the Z's 1600 X 900, doesn't meant it's as good - nor that its not better, but few of us believe it will be as good, even fewer that it could be better.

If it's as good as/same as the current Z 900p, then get the SA. If not, and you are still reading, you were never a Z buyer anyway. You may want to save yourself some money and get an SB. Me, I have $2,500 to away on tech toys, and my Z13 is just too good not to keep the money for other toys to attach to it/substitute for it, etc. Good luck.

 

Yup, this sounds right...ill be checking the internet everyday for some reviews about the screen quality on the SA...if its good, ill get it ASAP..if not...ill find an older Z. Arg..this wait is just agonizing...but at least i know what i want to do now.

FYI - i hear dell is coming out with some new models on June 3rd..much like the 15z...but with smaller display....this might get interesting..seeing as dell has good screens as well.

 

I was watching Dell 15z as well but I still got an older Z last week cuz I think its barrel design is classic (on top of its performance etc). So I reckon I'll still love the old Z's design even when new Dells are announced

 

I've found an external Thunderbolt to PCI-express enclosure, from memory the enclosure is limited to a 100watt video card. Does anyone think it would be possible to daisy-chain this to the external unit of the new Vaio Z (supposedly with its mobility 6770)? Could you run the two cards in Crossfire? I appreciate there wouldn't be any physical bridge between the cards. Any ideas?

 

Don't know if it's a 13" yet, but this new Z series might have just got another serious competitor.

 

^^good! I hope Sony learns the lesson from virtually every new 2011 model in the similar size category - no gorilla glass - NO SALE!

PS. And fix your silly touch pad, it fails after a year... of a standalone mouse use

 

The Asus looks good (very much like the MBA) but I don't think it will have a discrete GPU, so won't be quite in the same class. Also not sure whether it's using an ULV processor? Also the casing looks like a scratch magnet.

 

Would you mind posting the link to the enclosure?

I have the impression current laptops' CPU and GPU are in-step, i.e. nobody builds a laptop with a strong CPU but weak GPU, and vice versa. Which means it may not make as much sense coupling an enclosure like that with say the next generation of MBA (if it comes with Thunderbolt).

 

well here is the processor in the gallery

ASUS UX21 hands-on - Engadget Galleries

i5-2557 - TDP is 17W so yes it appear it is a ULV chip

I'm really liking the slim design but the fact it is metal casing, could maybe make it much warmer than a plastic version. of course it has no discrete GFX, HD3000 from intel I believe and a SSD drive.

the Z will not have discrete gfx either at least not in the body, only the dock.

 

How is this a fact? The better conductor of heat, the better it radiates heat too, given the same amount of surface. You don't see plastic heat sinks, now do you?

 

my galaxy S2's back is all plastic and the back gets pretty warm when doing cpu intensive tasks and if it was metal it would be impossible to hold since it would get too hot. I'm just worried that the all metal body will be much warmer if the entire laptop was plastic.

there are no plastic heat sinks, but the vent near my GPU heatsink on my FW is all plastic, and that gets pretty hot when using the GPU, if the vent was all metal, I have no doubts that it would get really hot to the touch.

 

well, a metal case would be warmer than a plastic one because the heat would be absorbed by the metal case.. and your hands would feel it

whereas if it were plastic, then the heat would not be absorbed by the case as effectively.. and would consequently be pushed out through the air by the fan