New Sony Vaio Z speculation/news thread

This looks great.

I'm surprised this is being launched as the successor to the Z, considering it's quite a different proposition from the previous Z series.

From my point of view it looks like the perfect mobile laptop. I have an old SZ from years ago that I still use for heavy duty things (it's practically a server / DVD ripper most of the time) and the reason I never went with any of the Z series is the dodgy barrel-hinge design - always hated this. Delighted to see it's gone.

I have a VAIO X that I use as my day-to-day laptop and it was revolutionary as a portable laptop. It was the first that I could literally drop in a bag and not even notice it was there. Of course it's quite underpowered and doesn't have a high res screen (it is 11inch after all) and has no ODD, but then again I really never use DVDs or CDs anymore, even in work.

The new Z looks to a middle ground between the portability of the X and the power of the Z; the performance ratio is somewhere closer to the Z. The design ratio is closer to the X. It looks great.

I'm just hoping that there will be a good number of configuration options. For example while the docking station looks great, I'm not sure I might even need it if all it offers is an ODD and discrete graphics. Who knows, Sony may have some surprises in store here. Ideally the dock would be an optional extra. Upgrading and replacing HDDs might also be an issue with such a slim design; usually I will configure a new laptop with the most basic HDD and memory specs and then upgrade these myself immediately (better value for money than Sony's SSD and memory offerings). This was not possible with the X (everything was integrated) and may not be possible with this new Z; there may not even be an option for a traditional HDD.

Having said that though this new Z ticks all the right boxes for me; high quality screen and build, decent CPU and memory (I would assume!), VGA and HDMI output, no optical drive, decent battery life (from what is rumoured), backlit keyboard (it would appear) and a class design. Can't wait for this to come out.

 

Thanks!! +rep earlier
They accepted my best offer ($19) and now I have one on the way!
Bye

 

It will most likely be using proprietary SSDs in a RAID 0 config with no HDD option.

 

Im thinking about staying up until 1:30 on tuesday for the press release. Would that be worth it? Where would I go for it? What tech sites will be reporting on it? And is there an event for it, because a google search can't come up with one.

 

Yeah I'm trying to find out where to go for a liveblog... it'll be only 9:30 PM for me in Pacific Time.

 

lol great minds think alike, I offered $19 too

 

I think you mean 10:30pm monday? Its at 1:30pm tuesday taiwan time, not japan.

EDIT: i think...

 

It's 1:30AM EDT in US, so would be 10:30PM PDT. I have never seen any live broadcast/blog for Taiwanese Sony product announcement ever, but press are invited and typically mobile01 and chinese engadget will have some short report fairly quickly after the announcement.

So, no, I don't recommend you to stay up for it if you are on EDT -- go to bed early and wake up at 5AM is probably better.

 

When i ordered mine, i offered $18...

 

at this point, do we know anything regarding the battery capacity of the new Z ?

 

Updated the OP.

 

aras87
this is the only thing we know nothing about. Should be around 5000 mAh.

 

The original rumor stated 8 hour battery life as well as a sheet battery option to extend up to 16.5hrs

 

And that averages to roughly 6-6.5 hours of battery life in real world use which is somewhat disappointing.

 

Does that mean it will be a larger capacity battery than SA/SB ? I think SA has something like 4500mah.

 

Really unbelievable to read this... except maybe for someone switching computer yearly... 6-6.5 hours... a dream...

 

It should. A bit. Guess it may be coded as vgp-bps 25 or something like.

 

No optical drive, no GPU. They certainly have more space for battery.

 

^ yeah, it is integrated as well, as in SA. However, it is unllikely that its capacity is that of SA. Also, we know nothing about extended sheet (slice) battery. It may happen that it will be the same as in SA/SB (this might be a bad guess but... that is why the chassis for Z21 made a bit wider than one in the current Z).

 

Oh wow that totally makes sense.

 

yes but probably as the rumor says,it can be more lightly than the previus z, 1.34kg to 1.1 kg aprox. so,no much battery weight probably is gone increase

 

The main unit will be 2.5lbs, a half pound lighter than the current Z. But the batteries that sony has developed are amazingly light (That entire 8hr sheet battery only weighs like a pound) So there is chance we will see more battery.

 

^ 4500 mAh is unlikely to provide 7-8 hours on Core i+Intel HD, even without ODD. Given Sony's sturdy tradition of producing non-interchangeable batteries across the business series of Vaio, we may expect something shaped like SA battery but with a little increase of capacity.

 

yes we hope so!!!!

 

^ don't expect any miracle however, I suppose it is in the range of 4800 min. and 5200 mAh absolute max.

 

Ah my bad, thought the conference is in Japan.

BTW the sheet battery for the S line computers is 1.15 pounds.

 

So should I get the gold or black? I am so scarry important that I must have the best matching laptop for my BMW and house. LOL

Seruously Sony? Frickin Gold of all colors? I see a big fat goose egg in US sales for that. Perhaps India and Iran will pick up the slack. However, Jay-Z and Eminem might rock one.

 

I'd probably buy the gold one. Black is becoming boring.

 

black ftw.

 

Hopefully, you didn't forget that the VAIO Z line is the "Rolex" of the computing world..... Therefore, it should be expected that they come in some "bling", which in this case is the Gold color option.

 

sheet battery for Z21 is different from the one for S series. Current one has a big hole in the middle, new sheet battery is one complete piece.

 

Makes sense to me.

The reason for that hole in the VAIO SA/SA/SC series is because it can be connected to the optional docking station through the "standard" docking connecter, while the upcoming VAIO Z series is connected to the docking station through a different method (Thunderbolt/USB port).

 

You know, Sony could always bring back the lavender...

 

Who is making LCD's for the new Z? TMD (the supplier of the FHD LCD on the current Z) discontinued the FHD LCD, if I remember correctly...

 

who's TMD?

i thought it was toshiba that made the panels and they sold off the fab to somebody else. don't quote me.

 

Great suggestion - thanks.

From the same site that was posted. I thought it was a fixed price at $20.99.

From this site that ComputerCowboy posted, yes?
SGP Sony Vaio Z Skin Guard Set Series [2010 Model] - Z Series - Sony - Laptops

I didn't know you can bid for it. Is there a minimum?

 

Think they went through ebay

 

so... tomorrow is the day, can't wait

 

I think another reason why the new Z has an external GPU and ODD is to differentiate it from the SA/SB. If the Z had an internel ODD and a 6630m inside, most people would not get the Z just because of its better screen as it has the same specs as SA/SB - i7 2620m + 256GB SSD + 6630m 1GB.

With the external ODD & GPU and the lost weight it is more of a big X and the light weight is what Sony is going to market with the new Z I guess.

 

TMD = Toshiba Matsua Display Or toshiba mobile display, so ya toshiba, I think toshiba left the tv market

sony and toshiba are planning at integrating their display units together

Toshiba, Sony looking at integrating LCD units | The Japan Times Online

 

do you have pictures?

 

Interesting. The one I've seen had a hole in the middle as well...different than S series though.

 

tomorrow is NOT the day.

SONY Taiwan will announce SA series tomorrow, nothing to do with Z2.

 

What the Ballsack SERIOUSLY?!?!?!

That techbang article stated it would be about the z21 RAGEEE!!!!

 

yet another false alarm???

 

Do you know the day for the Z2?

 

Is it just me or does the new Sony Vaio Z look more like a DELL?!

 

^It's just you.

 

So no announcement tomorrow?
I am devestated...

 

Nop, the other from Ebay!