New Sony Vaio Z speculation/news thread

^You think? I haven't seen an amoled display that I even remotely liked. Oversaturated, dithering, banding, poor color temperature, etc.

 

Viewing angles, thinness, low power consumption, almost (physical) indestructibility...

Unfortunately shorter life span due to wear and brightness degradation.

After all, it is always a tradeoff - but I think OLED is the way to go in the next years.

 

If it will be available by then and not just announced, it would be perfect for me.

Hypothetically, if Sony uses an external unit for the GPU, it would be possible that Sony could offer either an AMD or an Nvidia GPU. However, I think not having this option does not matter, the machine already sounds perfect.

 

What about Europe? Or what about CTO models? I'm not familiar with the typical cycle.

 

But they look like crap. And lower power consumption is debatable.

 

Well, I'd prefer one over a regular TN panel. In any case, what about IPS? I can dream can't I? (Also wasn't it Sony that was the first to come out with a production OLED panel like... few years ago... 11" for like $1,300 IIRC)

edit: googled it:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/137884/sony_unveils_first_oled_tv.html

and it went for 1.7k USD ><

 

The OLED on the Samsung Omnia 7 is exceptional. I agree the colour temp could be a bit warmer and also Sammy have new tech for the pixel clusters since then, but even now- you see the contrast ratios (basically infinity) and you're sold.

Late June/ early July... I wish I had a time machine

 

I disagree. I think the omnia looks like crap too. To each his own, obviously. Amoled gives you perfect black levels and contrast, but colors are overblown and grossly innacurate. And the dithering is a mess. I'm a plasma guy, but wouldn't want a plasma on my laptop, that's what amoled reminds me of in many ways.

 

beaups, I'll be leaving for college in September and will need to replace my ailing 2.0 C2D MacBook, hopefully with a new Vaio Z. What is the likelihood of this happening?

 

beaups already said it'll be out at the beginning of july

which is good news for me, because i'm going to be gone in may!

so, does sony have any competitors right now besides the hp elitebook ultraportable?

 

The likelihood of that happening would be squarely up to you, would you be ready to drop the coin for it? It's already been stated it's coming out Julyish.

 

Hmm, I took the meaning of "End of June, early July" to mean that that's when Sony is announcing it. The good thing is that usually when Sony announces a new Vaio it means that it appears on their site ready to order... If the speed of the CTO SB series is any indication, it got released Mar 7 and people started to get theirs March 28 even with the earthquake in Japan, than people should start getting their orders by late July/early August.

 

not sure if i has been answered.....does the new Z come with barrel design?
I hope the MS slot will be gone too

anyway, anyone extented their warranty from 1 year to 3 years?
my Z11 is almost 1 year old...and I need to decide whether I should extend the warranty for another 2 years...

 

^It hasn't been confirmed yet whether it has a barrel hinge or not. But check these quotations:

 

I just spend a few minuets looking at the development of the YEN since CES. I did this because Sony probably made deals with their retailers at CES for the SA/SB thus fixing the prices for the first couple of notebook shipments. But since then the YEN gained between 15% und 20% which will probably affect every notebook announced not at CES making it more expensive than we hope them to be.
I also hope that Sony made some long term contracts for their SSD and RAM supply since the mass retail price for this components went up quite a bit in the aftermath of the earthquake.

 

im wondering now if this hybrid will be the z series or another letter, maybe H for hybrid =/?

 

beaups, I noticed that you didn't post at all anything regarding the quality issues that users noticed in the Vaio SB. Do you have any inside info about when sony is going to fix the issues (maybe a new hardware revision or something like that)?
I am referring to:
-rev. B2 chipset and ODD connected to SATA4 => possible performace degradation
-misaligned fingerprint reader (could you confirm that this is why fingerprint reader is not available in US)
-far from perfect fit of the ODD
-ODD noise when reading a disc while holding the notebook
-heating issues because of the hinge covering the vent
-[and even] poor quality of the display

Could you also give us a hint if the SA and even the new Z will be produced in the same factory so that we know what level of quality to expect?
Up until a few days ago I was set to buy a VPCSB but after the latest developments I am not so sure... maybe (actually for sure) after sony fixes the issues I'll decide between the SB / SA / new Z.

 

That's possibly because this is a new Vaio Z speculation thread...

but in any case:
- Sony should have got the B2 revision of the chipset... meaning you dont have to worry about the Sata port 4 (NOT SATAIV >> I wish )
- I don't think that'll be the reason fingerprint readers aren't avaliable to americans... possibly because we got bigger fingers and they dont work as well... I'm JUST KIDDING(being up this early on a sunday morning gets to me sometimes). It's probably because 1) they're low on fingerprint scanners 2) executive Sony decision for some unknown reason. The Z11 in the US came with 2x128GB logical/physical drives for the 256GB option whereas internationally, the 256GB drives were 4x64GB logially and 2x128 physically. Also we didnt have felicia chips or a TPM module despite Sony having that point in their advertising...
- slight variation of build between each component... my ODD doesn't fit flush either (especially since the bottom of the laptop is slanted). I bet if you went in your laptop and scooted everything around, you might be able to get the ODD to fit better.
- That's true for every thin laptop... my Z makes a racket whenever i use the ODD... and when i hold it... the body flexes just a bit and that squeezes the ODD so it's normal. (think of how fast the disk is spinning... and the laptop is pretty light => less inertia, you'll feel/hear the vibration more than a 10lb desktop replacement)
- poor design, simple as that. Also the slide on battery on the bottom blocks any chance for vents there... so... yeah. (as well as the internal battery pack which probably covers the bottom of the lappy)
- poor quality... compared to what? another $~800 laptop? they're probably comparable. Compare it to the Vaio Z which base model costs double? you're crazy.

 

-I know what thread this is, I only posted here because I saw beaups was active on this thread and not any more on the other, sorry if you consider this to be offtopic. I don't consider it offtopic since it concerns sony build quality in general.
-B2 stepping IS the flawed one, B3 is the fixed one...
-poor quality of the display compared to my 2 year old LG P310 which was about 1200EUR, SB costs about the same (my CTO = 1249EUR).

I am glad to hear that the SA will be a step up in quality and the Z another one.
To tell you the truth I'm not so enthusiastic about SA since it uses "carbon fiber" which is just plastic at the end of the day... I like the design of the SB, I was sold, I already e-mailed a shop in Germany to buy a SB CTO, the only problem is with these 100$ (max) worth of quality problems.
Anyway, I'll probably wait for the SA or the new Z to make up my mind.
Sorry if I offended anybody by calling them crazy or acting crazy...

 

consumer laptop build quality != business laptop build quality

this is true for all the major non-low-budget manufacturers.

 

The S series is kind of a mixed bag, since it offers a powerful gpu for the consumer market, but it offers some enterprise class features, like the tpm chips, fingerprint reader and a dock station.

however its hard to see an enterprise class notebook from sony, its not that for me such offering would need to be using "retro" design, but something with the added durability of a roll cage, to pass some kind of mil spec qualification, to provide some form of professional gpu... the list is extensive and NONE of the vaios offer this, actually the only one right now that offer at least something for professional users, is the S series.

Mostly vaios are like apple, pay a higher price for quality and design, durability? Consumer durability/quality, not enterprise class durability/quality.

And I agree, the durability and quality is different for consumers and enterprise class hardware, the you get what you pay for is true here.

And the Z so far looks like another non enterprise class hardware, it seems more like a business on the go professional, someone who works by itself and has to sell itself in all possible ways.

 

Looks like the VPC-Z13 CTO is back on SonyStyle USA with the same specs as before, no 1080 screen thought.

VPCZ1390X | VAIO® Z1390X Configure-to-Order | Sony | Sony Style USA

 

Hey beaups, mid answering 2 more questions?

1. Will it have a physical GPU switch like the current Z?
2. The full HD screen option (or any other options you've seen or know about) - will it be gloss, semi or matte (comparing to the current Z for instance and, say MBP)?

Thanks!

 

Will the internal battery be replacable? or are they going the apple route ?

 

Well I presume it's Yes for the #1

As of the FHD, if it's like Z1, then it's semi-gloss, but do you aware if the so-called "horizontal lines" bug is still there or they finally got some of those higher quality Samsung panels in?

Thanks!

 

Higher quality samsung panels? There's only 1 mfr in the world cutting 13.1" panels and it ain't samsung

Let me ask you this way, if the Z had a graphics switch, what exactly would it do??

 

the horizontal lines "bug" is, from what i remember, due to the anti-scratch coating

all this time that i've been using my first generation z, i have noticed it maybe once or twice (it "disappears" after a a few seconds) when i first got it, but i haven't for the past year

 

So I guess Toshiba for non-FHD and Sharp for FHD?

As for the switch I was hoping for a software switch and the drive/gpu part being sold separately

Brawn - my 2009 model has them all over the screen, I think it's a Toshiba panel. If watching a video - it's all covered in lines. Unacceptable for a 2k lappy if you ask me.

 

In cases when I need the optical drive but don't want to switch the graphics? But regardless, any additions like hybrid graphics will complicate drivers update as they are done by sony, not nvidia/intel, thus with this top of the line notebook you will be stuck with outdated drivers within 6-9 months after release. Let alone the fact that it makes almost impossible the use of that switch with alternative OS systems like ubuntu (and yes, I want my 2k laptop to run something a $500 dell can run with full functionality in place).

So in my case a software switch + add-on sold separately if needed - is ideal solution. Will not happen, of course, but that is a different story




But one more question, if I may - you said the screen is like the current Z right now. Do you think it might end up looking like the Air or Samsung 9 with a thin glass layer in front?

 

Are these the diagonal lines?
If so, I thought this was because of the LED technology?
I have seen these lines show up on other higher end laptops from Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba and HP...and they all had LED screens.

 

Ohh man.

I really liked the dual-gpu of the Z. I wouldn't mind giving up the ODD, but the discrete GPU too?

it'd be pretty weird having to lug along your GPU when you want to play games at your friend's place etc. :/

 

haha i too am a fan of the all-in-one-ness of the current Z. at least it's just a laptop + odd/gpu. Better than lugging around ur desktop to a LAN party! (my case is 16kg just by itself! a bitfenix colossus)

 

yea, the fact that the GPU and ODD aren't included is a deal breaker for me.
that belongs in a different product line, like the X or P series.

Really, since we know they can get it all into a 3 LBS laptop right now what is the advantage of taking it out? shave .5 LBS, who cares?

 

I think the theoretical advantage of having an external GPU is you can have a larger, more powerful GPU since the external enclosure can have a better cooling compared to trying to cram it into the actual notebook. Plus having an external GPU means that it's designed to be used when the notebook is plugged into AC power therefore the GPU can use more power.

Eliminating the optical drive and the GPU from the notebook means the Sony can improve the thinness, improve the cooling, enlarge the internal battery or more.

 

Well adding an external unit does not appear like an engineering achievement.
Thunderbolt is the real improvement that allows it, but the final product could be manufactured by Acer or MSI now that the video card is left out.

I think it takes away what Z series are all about. Now DELL will add simply a new external unit to their Adamo line ...

 

By the way is it still worth it to by the Z right now despite this new Z coming ?.

After all, new Z seems to get only dual core CPU ; and the GPU is in an external unit.
Having all in one like in the actual Z13, with blue-ray, quad ssd, i7 640m and GT330m still seems great to me isn't it ?

 

They've more than doubled the battery life with the new one, even without the sheet battery. If that's important, wait. If you don't care about battery life, the new Z is probably not the computer for you.

 

I agree that battery life is a big difference but don't you think the Thunderbolt will be as well? I am remembering that the current Z has only USB-2 ports. That may be of no consequence to you if you are not looking to work quickly on an external. However, if you want to work on external hard drives moving large files back and forth, it seems to me that is a good reason to look at the new Z. It also seems to me that it is intriguing because it affords convertibility. When tasks are not so graphic intensive you can opt for portability and when they are you have the option to power up.

Does anyone have a sense of how to gauge the tradeoff from Quad to Dual Core between the current Z and this new one?

It will be interesting to see if the external piece works well or if the Thunderbolt connection proves somehow to be too sensitive and not durable enough. Does anyone have any sense of how robust this connection might be? If the two components are only loosley connected through the Thunderbolt, which seems to be the case, how will it take abuse when you forget you have it plugged in and stand up?

Thanks for your input Beaups.

 

Depends what you're looking for. The new Z will have better battery life due to the improvements with Sandy Bridge and it'll be lighter. I've got a friend who just wants a MBA for it's form factor and weight, I personally prefer the current Z. The current Z and the new Z seem to occupy two different niches. The SA/SB seem to be in the same niche as the current Z except aimed at a lower price point. The new Z seems to be a replacement of the X/TT/etc.

 

Hi,

Does anyone know how much more powerful the GPU / video card in the new Z when compared to the current SA / SB models?

Trying to decide whether to buy the SB now... or wait for new Z.

I'm all about the graphics in my games

 

If it aint that powerful, you can still rig one using a DIY ViDock via the thunderbolt port (there is one in the making already)

 

I know the release date of the z is set for summer, but does anyone know when during summer?

 

Thanks Mr MM,

But by using a ViDock, would that mean it can only connect to an external LCD screen? (Sorry, not familiar with a ViDock).

I'm looking for a way to transport my laptop around to play games on the go.

Or Can I connect a ViDock to my laptop, and the laptop automatically gets higher FPS?

 

Afaik beaups said that it's not possible to run the internal screen via ViDock, just external screens, so that won't do the trick.

 

Ahh! So that means...

New Sony Z + external GPU = Faster Graphics on an external LCD screen??

And a New Sony Z by itself (minus the external GPU) = Slow Graphics (Intel Chip).

Hmm... I think I can only get the Sony SA / SB.

 

actually you can use the internal lcd, its available in some models, and depends on how well you can cut and copy stuff from the internet.

 

Sorry, the current Z isn't quad core. I must have been dreaming. Re the USB ports, yes there are three of them but they are all USB-2 aren't they?

 

Yes...USB 2

 

No, of course not. Just when using a "3rd party external GPU". But some users disagree with that.

 

Given that the Z will probably cost several times the price of the SB and probably a fair bit more than an SA, I'm don't see that they're really competitors. Based on the current Z pricing, it seems like the new Z with an I7, FHD, and 256 SSD with be north of 3K with a 512 SSD at probably around 4K.

Any chance for a 320MB SSD option?