New Sony Vaio Z speculation/news thread

From Sony there's no official info, but the VPCZ21 is already listed in some webshops. So hopefully it will be introduced soon.

For example here are the specs and prices of the European preconfigured models:

VPC-Z21L9E
VPC-Z21M9E
VPC-Z21X9E
VPC-Z21V9E

Here is a PDF with the products of this webshop, maybe someone finds other interesting things as well (I did not want to look through the 66 pages )

If you search in google for the model numbers, you can find other shops, too.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edit:
I'll copy the specs here (for the case that the pages get deleted):

SONY VAIO Z21L9E/B 13,1" Nero Windows 7 Professional

Intel Core i5-2410M, 4GB DDR3, 128GB SSD Flash SATA, 13,1" LED 1600X900, WLAN, Bluetooth, Slot 3G/HSDPA, HDMI, HD Webcam con funzione Exmor, 3D Output, Sensore di riconoscimento impronte digitali, 1 porta USB 2.0 + 1 porta USB 3.0 SuperSpeed, tastiera re
Prezzo : € 1.809,00

SONY VAIO Z21M9E/B 13,1" Nero Windows 7 Professional

Intel Core i5-2410M , 4GB DDR3, 128GB SSD Flash SATA, 13,1" LED 1600X900, Bluetooth, Slot 3G/HSDPA, HDMI, HD Webcam con funzione Exmor, 3D Output, Sensore di riconoscimento impronte digitali, 1 porta USB 2.0 + 1 porta USB 3.0 SuperSpeed, tastiera retroil
Prezzo : € 2.199,00

SONY VAIO Z21X9E/B 13,1" Nero Windows 7 Professional

Intel Core i7-2620M, 8GB DDR3, 256GB SSD Flash SATA, 13,1" LED 1600X900, Bluetooth, 3G/HSDPA, HDMI, HD Webcam con funzione Exmor, 3D Output, Sensore di riconoscimento impronte digitali, 1 porta USB 2.0 + 1 porta USB 3.0 SuperSpeed, tastiera retroillumin
Prezzo : € 2.449,00

SONY VAIO Z21V9E/B 13,1" Nero Windows 7 Professional

Intel Core i7-2620M, 8GB DDR3 SDRAM, 256GB SSD Flash SATA, 13,1" LED 1600X900, Bluetooth, 3G/HSDPA, HDMI, HD Webcam con funzione Exmor, 3D Output, Sensore di riconoscimento impronte digitali, 1 porta USB 2.0 + 1 porta USB 3.0 SuperSpeed, tastiera retroi
Prezzo : € 2.839,00

 

Thanks but no Thunderbolt?!

(goes into a rage, smashes... things against the wall. and do other stuff people in a rage usually do)

 

These are obviously not the complete specs. The L and M, and the X and V models have the same specs but a price difference of 390 Euros. So the L and X models either have no external unit or have one with weaker GPU and/or DVD instead of BluRay.

Regarding Thunderbolt: I remember reading that Sony will use some other port (maybe a USB port) for its own Thunderbolt implementation and thus it cannot call it Thunderbolt.

Also, none of those models seem to have a Full HD screen.

 

If those prices are right about £2250 for the Z21X9E/B is expensive but not out of the question the hard part to take is that £300-£400 is sony's mark up on the 256 ssd and there is no way with this model to install your own.

 

Hmm, I thought the Ultra Mobile PC has the Thunderbolt symbol beside one of the ports. Or perhaps that isn't the new Z...

 

3D output as in via hdmi or 3D screen?

 

actually they can, the thunderbolt showed at CES was using a USB I/O. You have to remember that thunderbolt is a pcie interface, with the I/O part being done with whatever port that you want, off course modifications are needed, since display port has bandwidth of 17gbps and a half duplex protocol some modifications were necessary (thunderbolt is a 10gbps dual channel tech, basically a 10gpbs in and 10gbps out)

 

seems not right

 

delete ..

 

I looked up where I read that they cannot call it Thunderbolt if it has another port. This was the article: (link)

That's the old one, the VGN-Z21.

 

here are 2 good reads about thunderbolt

AnandTech - Intel's Codename Light Peak Launches as Thunderbolt

AnandTech - Intel Light Peak - Lighting up 10 Gbps links in 2011

if this article you showed me is true, intel just broke their patent. And yes a unified connector in the form of display port is actually more beneficial for the entire platform

 

Intel owns it.
""As part of our collaboration with Apple, they did some of the initial trademark filings. Intel has full rights to the Thunderbolt trademark now and into the future. The Thunderbolt name will be used going forward on all platforms, irrespective of operating system."
http://www.brightsideofnews.com/new...es-thunderbolt-apple-trademark-situation.aspx

And it's a bit crazy that Engadget posted their article on the 21st, linking to a post from MacRumors from the 18th, while MacRumors posted clarification that Intel owns the patent on the 20th. Poor reporting on their part.

 

Well, no matter what it's called, the new Z should have it according to the rumors. Don't know why it's not listed in the specs I posted above, but as I said, they seem incomplete anyways.

 

In any case, it seems odd that this listing would reference usb 3.0.
No vaio z has had it, or will have it.

the SA on the otherhand does...
that with the 1600x900 res....

I wonder if they mixed up the sku listings.

Then again, did the preconfig'd Z's generally come with the 1080p or with 1600x900? I know that they had at least one "signature edition" Z with the full 1080 but, as we've mentioned here before, I think generally the marketplace is opting for the "lower" res offering.

So... these still could be a hint of what's to come...
shrug.

 

yeah right


USB is into color codding right now, being blue the 3, the 2 is either yellow (charge) or black

 

That means Thanuderbolt is dropped as a trade(logo)mark.

Just 2 USB ports?
Therefore there are NO I/O ports on the left side of the machine.

Only black color for all the models. Backlit keyboard.

 

Remember that this is Sony, which is Like.N ther.
What the Apple called FireWire and the rest of the world called IEEE 1394, Sony called "i.Link".
And what everybody else called QIC tapes, Sony called Superstation.
So what Intel called Light Peak and the world now calls Thunderbolt, Sony might give a name like "port utilities series" or "d.Pipe".

(Yes, I'm kidding. But I wouldn't be surprised either.)

 

And I have to agree with you

 

msi took the idea of sony? a notebok with dock that has a discrete gpu
Gigabyte Booktop M2432 Laptop at COMPUTEX 2011 - Mini Laptops

 

I think you mean Gigabyte . In any case, according to the rumors here about the new Z series, it won't be a dock, but instead more of a kinda external dvd drive sort of device (that houses both the ODD and most probably a mobile GPU) while this thing here is a dock and houses a desktop GPU. Interesting, but considering we have ViDocks, you might as well go that route.

 

aside its nothing new, the fujitsu amilo (insert some number) had a 4870 desktop as an egpu

sonnet is doing a egpu for the thunderbolt port, and the design while plain and boxy is actually a design, unlike the diy egpu (they are now calling the vidock as egpu, its cuter)

 

besides that one can't say Gigabyte stole the idea of an external GPU from SONY, as there is no Z out there with this approach nor is one announced.

 

They are ********* expensive ! ...

I bought my high-end Z11Z9E a year ago for 2249€. It's not a refurb and there wasn't any discount...

 

you bought YOURS for that much. the Z prices go WAYYY higher than that.

 

Z11 was cheaper, beginning with the Z12 the prices became higher. If I remember correctly, a Z12 CTO was roughly 500 Euro more expensive than a Z11 with the same config.

The current Z13Z9E (with BluRay) costs 3000-3500 Euros.

 

If these rumors are accurate this will be, without a doubt, the best laptop ever.

For myself, considering I use my laptop at least 10 hours a day for (usually) 18-20 months, I have no problem paying upwards of $3k for something that is close to perfect.

 

I did forward the news about prices to engadget.com. It is published. Sony VAIO Z21 Series mentioned on various European sites, isn't actually for sale yet -- Engadget
Actually, no additions right now beyond what we saw in terms of pricing.

 

You guys are missing the point on this port. Hypothetically...if the USB 3 and LightPeak were to be located at the same physical port, it does not mean they are sharing the physical link. Hard to (and can't) explain, but think of the combined eSata/USB ports.....

 

i am looking for the next Z to support dual or even tri-monitor support.

 

So this Hypothetical port would have a different connector for lightpeak than the Apple thunderbolt, because I don't see how you could share a usb port with a mini-display-port-style connector.

 

No dedicated GPU in the Z21?

 

its external to allow for an even lighter notebook and an even faster GPU

 

Obviously it would be a different connector than apple uses, yes.

Keep in mind the lightpeak spec allows for optical and/or copper connections. Apple's DisplayPort implementation is using copper..........

 

Indeed. There is a market for perfect, these companies just don't realize it yet I guess. Hopefully Sony gets it right.

The real question is what specs do you want with yours to make it perfect?

 

FNAC.it also had two of these up. Even less detail though:

Sony VAIO VPC-Z21X9E/B 13,3", Core i7, 8 GB, 256 GB SSD, Grafica HD3000, Notebook. Compra online TV, Fotocamere, Notebook, PC, Mp3 e GPS su Fnac.it

Sony VAIO VPC-Z21L9E/B 13,1", Core i5, 4 GB, 128 GB SSD, Grafica HD3000, Notebook. Compra online TV, Fotocamere, Notebook, PC, Mp3 e GPS su Fnac.it

 

so you are hinting that sony, already got the fiber that was delayed in research due to the need of a cheaper solution to the signals switching? and the need to external power to the connector itself?

no trying to put you against the wall, just that this would be great, if it was implemented right now, which I dont believe its going to be.

ohhh man just saw this! we are again a source!

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Online-listings-hint-at-Sony-Vaio-Z21-ultraportable.55238.0.html

 

Yeah was posted a day or two ago by engadget (quoting us as a source ). Don't you just love being in the news? (Actually I think Engadget once mentioned Zoinks for his feats here on NBR in messing with the Z)

 

I was like, dawg! and loled, pretty stupid from my part and pretty pitiful from theirs

 

isn't displayport a free spec? or is mini displayport NOT a free spec?

doesn't the actual thunderbolt controller need a component to read data from a fiber optical cable?

 

Interesting, so if hypothetically speaking, Sony did do it that way. That means the other side of the notebook as seen in the picture has no ports at all. Would be unusual for them to do that I would think.. Is it used for heat vents?

 

^IIRC beaups said the new Z uses a similar cooling system as the SA/SB, therefore the vents are on the rear.

 

you recall correctly

 

So the left side of the notebook has nothing? That would be a first. Why not add some extra USB ports at least since there is no optical drive there. Seems strange to me.

 

^ The left side has the single port: VGA. Quite possibly that ExpressCard may be there as well, though no precise info about it (I'd say rather "unlikely").

 

Why unlikely?

They should put the headphone and mic jacks back on the left where they were on the first generation Z. Having it on the front interferes with typing and makes it impossible to use a mini-jack-to-jack adapter when using the laptop on your lap.

 

^Headphone jack is on the right. I suppose nothing is on the front except wireless controls. I meant SD and Sony cards reader is more likely on the left instead of ExpressCard. No photos to prove unfortunately.

 

Would it be safe to say that since these sites are beginning to post sales pages for the VPC-Z21 that a release is imminent?

 

I think beaups said no VGA built into the main unit but it will be on the external.

 

yes it is! tomorrow is the D day!

































Dino D day is with some coupons!

 

I did not say that.