New Sony Vaio Z speculation/news thread

I get ~15500 3DMks06 and ~11500 3DMks Vantage with a GTX460 @x1.Opt, which outperforms a 460m easily. This setup is more in the range of a GTX480M and slightly behind a 6970M

 

heh even better, its itching me to get one with thunderbolt now, if all goes this way, I might have to ditch out for a mac

 

What are you babbling about?
The Lenovo x220 is nothing like a Z; it doesn't have 1600x900 or 1920x1080, it doesn't have a discrete GPU, it doesn't have a RAID 0 option, it doesn't come with larger SDD than 160 GB, and it weighs more despite having a smaller screen -- in short, it's not even remotely like the Z.

 

There is really nothing like the Z on the market, not from any PC makers nor from Apple. So I really hope Sony makes good sales from the Z so they continue to produce it.

 

Your opinion notwithstanding, some of us are considering an x220 or the new Z. Personally, I'm also waiting to see the MacBook Air sandy bridge refresh before deciding. Every laptop likely comes with different tradeoffs and each person will need to decide the best match for their needs.

 

^ "Apple is rumored to offer the option of a black finish on its next-generation Sandy Bridge powered MacBook Air ultraportable notebooks expected to arrive in the near future."

Niiiiiiiiicccce (in borat voice)

AppleInsider | Apple rumored to offer next-gen MacBook Airs with black finish

 

Always was, always will be

 

I think you miss Arith's point. He was not saying you shouldn't consider buying an x220 or whatever computer you think suits your personal needs. He was responding directly to kevin1987's statement. With its implication that the Z offers no advantages (for other than a 'die hard' fan).

 

I guess that makes it official: Black is the new black.

 

Indeed. Choose what's best for you. But don't, like kevin1987, assume that the x220 is equivalent to the Z for everyone but the most hardcore fans -- they're very different machines, and the x220 is only going to be a substitute for some, based on their specific needs, not something that will kill this thread because almost everyone interested in a Z will rush over to get an x220 instead. They're way too different for that.

 

What size external display can the x220 drive? (over digital, not VGA)

 

I second that.

I happen to have an X220 right here that I'm setting up for my boss. I ordered it with the i5 and the IPS screen and have put an Intel 320 SSD in it.

It certainly has some nice features compared to anything in its market segment (screen viewing angle, docking station connector, lenovo keyboard), but it really is no Z competitor at all.

It feels about the same weight as my Z1, has no backlit keyboard, a low definition screen, no discrete GPU (docked or not), even worse speakers, smaller screen (but only slightly smaller outer dimensions.

Of course it is a lot cheaper, but if you were a Z1 buyer it must be because you wanted/needed something rather special, the X220 is perfect for my boss but there's no way I'll be downgrading from my Z1 to it!

 

paradyne, do you know the external display mex resolution?

 

From the specifications sheet:


Intel HD Graphics 3000 in processor,
external analog monitor support via VGA DB-15 connector and
digital monitor support via DisplayPort (supports single-link DVI-D via cable 45J7915);
supports dual independent display;
Maximum external resolution: 2560x1600 (DisplayPort)@60Hz;
2048x1536 (VGA)@75Hz; 1920x1200@60Hz (single-link DVI-D via cable 45J7915

 

I talked earlier to Lenovo. 2560x1600 over the display port.

 

I know this is off-topic for the thread, but it came up and it is a subject of interest to many, so excuse me, but I want to know:

Are you having any connectivity problems on LTE? I've read a couple of articles lately that said Verizon is playing the role of AT&T - cutting off customers, dropping them down from 4G to 3G, making them rue the day they got into a contract with them.

Also, was the unltd data plan a special promotion, or is it std policy for Verizon 4g smartphone contracts? Probably worth breaking my AT&T ctrct early to get it before they change. They can't possibly afford to do it long term. Hmm, could this plan and my first question be related???

 

Don't count on unlimited data for long.

 

I have a question about LTE SIM cards on the Z2, so that makes this post relevant. Yes, yes it does

I have two observations:

1) At home: I don't have that strong an LTE signal at home, around 3 or 4 bars out of 5. Usually I hit around 6Mbps down, 1Mbps up. Mobile hotspot is supposed to have ended on 6/15, but I can still use it. My plan still says unlimited, currently after 2.5 weeks of usage I've consumed 9+gigs (coz I really like Top Gear on Netflix).

I have connectivity problems on the mobile hotspot. Usually disconnecting / reconnecting seems to correct the problem. Or rebooting the phone. That makes me think it's the hotspot program that is having issues. I don't get severe bandwidth throttling, during those disconnects the ability to resolve DNS goes away, leading me to think it's a phone software problem.

2) At work: I don't tether, using speedtest.net I get between 6 to 30Mbps down, 10-20Mbps up, with full 5 bars. It's just... wonderful. In either case, when I get relatively strong LTE signal, it stays that way.

I don't know if Verizon will break my contract saying they'll disallow unlimited data, but I hope not. I also hope that I can grandfather this plan, and that for subsequent upgrades I can stick with it. If not, hey, I've had a great run And no this is not a special promotion, it seems to be the basic data plan...


And for the Vaio Z2 question: I'm wondering if I can transplant the LTE SIM card from my phone to the Z2, and have it work without further fiddling? That would be similar to the GSM network, and if so, maybe I can get unlimited LTE data on my Z2. That would be sweet But I guess not...

 

Is it true we get an offical announcement on the new z next week?

 

Cheers. Interesting. So that's up to a 30" panel. That would work for me if the new Z doesn't do it. I'm currently restricted to a 24" on my Z.

S

 

Where did you hear that?

 

someone from another forum who seems fairly credible (not that that means much)

 

^ I guess it's possible but all I've heard is that it will be on sale late July.

How long before sale does sony usually announce their notebooks?

 

just compare when SB and SA were announced and when they began to be sold or ship.

 

Link??????

 

MARK MY WORDS:

NEW Z WILL HAVE 2 COLORS AVAILABLE, BLACK AND GOLD. The gold one has gold color on the outside and brown color inside. The external unit will have the exact same colors to match the main unit, and a silver base for placing it vertically.

NEW Z ALSO FEATURES REFLECTIVE GLASS TRACKPAD.

VGA port on the left side, 2 card reader slots in the front right under trackpad, other ports on the right side.

If you don't like the big bezel on the current SA/SB/SC, you won't like the new Z either

OK, teasing finished

 

Thanks for the info!! But can you say what the GPU might be? I heard it's not the Whistler-XT as rumored. And will we get an announcement next week?

I knew the bezel was going to be pretty big, I did the calculations from the FCC filings, and combined with a 13.1 inch display there was no way the bezel was going to be thin unfortunately as you can see from my post: http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...-speculation-news-thread-180.html#post7581891

 

That was about 2 weeks? Or more?

 

Does this mean that the new Z will have a bigger bezel than the current Z (VPC-Z1)?

 

^yes, about the same as the SA I think.

 

Thanks. I will be sticking with my Z then, even though the new one with have better internals. Having a big bezel defeats the merits of having an slightly thinner notebook.

 

Haven't we already been over this whole bezel discussion? Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't beaups say that the bezel is going to be thinner (or at least as thin as) the current Z's bezel? And he already saw the Notebook afaik.

 

I recall him saying that as well

 

Enough of Bezelmania.

 

beaups said the notebook would be thinner, not the bezel, according to my memory. Anyway, read the post by eddieaus, the information he provided sounds credible.

 

lol lol lol , so basically, no ones posts here means much . you made my day .

 

You guys are clinging to hope of a thin bezel! Get real and face the facts (alleged facts).

 

The fact is that there are no facts. Beaups could possibly be pulling off the greatest troll job in the history of the NBR forums, but then again, probably not

 

And because you took numbers and made "calculations", you think your word is any better than beaups? Sorry, I take everything with a grain of salt and yours is no better.

 

no no no I'm referring to this post:

The detail he provides sounds very credible.

 

And we are referring to your post that you made on the bezel as well. Like I said before, do you think your words, edd's words, or beaup's words are more credible than the other?

All talk for right now until we see solid proof but we like to keep the posts in mind as something that could be true.

 

I'm going to try search through this thread, but I do not remember beaups saying the bezel will be as thin or thinner than the current Z.

 

Hey now

I honestly don't remember much about the bezel, if I recall correctly it was very similar to VPC-Z1. I can say it didn't jump out to me as being HUGE (the SA did jump out at me). I'll try to have another looksy in the next few days.

 

Thanks!

Do you have any comments on the post above about an announcement next week?

 

^I know of no formal announce date, but considering the ship date (which I do know), it certainly seems plausible.

 

You could always just tell us the shipment date

Or if you want to be sneaky, give us a riddle.

 

he already hinted the shipment date. "A tad earlier than the 27th" July.

 

"A tad earlier than 27th July." - beaups

EDIT
Damn, I have to get faster posting from my phone

 

Does beaups work at sony or something? how does he know so much inside information? and how the hell does he get to see the product whenever he likes?!?!

 

^nope, he is no SONY employee. Maybe from a 3rd party company which works with SONY or sth like that. Tbh I don't care that much, as long as he's around and giving us some information from time to time.