New TZ91 available in Japan!

It looks like those who predicted Sony Japan's sale meant a lineup refresh were correct. The "new model" is more or less just an SSD upgrade, but that's good news for those of you wanting 48GB or 64GB SSDs in your TZs.

Notable changes from the TZ90 to the TZ91:

* New colors: green and white
* 48GB and 64GB SSD options (32GB no longer available)
* 2.5" 200GB option (in addition to 160GB)
* Can now mix and match almost any combination of 1.8" and 2.5" drives. SSD with no 2.5" or optical drive is now an option.
* WWAN option (only useful if you're actually in Japan)

SSD price per gig looks to be about the same as it was with the 32GB SSD -- 64GB SSD drive is just under $1k US.

In other news, they also announced a limited 10th anniversary edition of the 505, limited to 505 units (page here: original, translated). Guess I'll just have to be content with my TZ90 due to arrive here soon

 

Wow, great news.

If it's not for my Paypal's transfer problem, I would already own one tz90 w/ 32GB SSD.

Hope they won't raise the price too much.

 

Translated laptop-configurator: http://www.google.com/translate?u=h...tz91ns_s_hs.html&langpair=ja|en&hl=en&ie=UTF8

I placed order yesterday, today the same spec 20 000 YEN (128EUR) higher. Lucky me

 

Oh my freaking god, I was just thinking of a pearl white TZ yesterday and here it is, I've been having a lot of strange coincidences lately.
Would have been better if they could get the batteries to match but meh, the white one looks really nice.

The only think I would wish for is the ability to swap out the optical drive and 2.5" drive easily.

I would really like it if I could purchase the cheapest model, 160gb only and then later on upgrade it to an SSD and DVD drive when I acquire more moolah.

 

Yeah they seem pretty nice.
the optical drive and 64gb SSD configuration is goint to cost like a billion dollars right?

 

Why do I want that color so badly, just like how I wanted the white PSP so much when it came out. Certainly different from the regular old black TZs. Too bad the hinge doesn't match.

Sucks for those that just bought the TZ90 with the 32gb SSD, LOL. Now let the Yen weaken drastically against the American dollar, please!

 

How Much Is That

 

Nice! Did Sony make a mistake and update their site with the new hardware without updating the prices, or was it some sort of early bird promo?

Don't we all

I'd love to have that option, particularly since I ordered the 160gb model

64gb SSD plus optical drive costs 114k yen (~$1000) over the base configuration (160gb drive). So for a top-spec'd machine you're looking at over $3000, but nowhere near $4000.

 

Looks very nice, but the problem is that it will get dirty fast

 

so did price really go down? I paid 3200 for the tz191 almost one month ago... I hope it didnt go down... or ill feel so bad

 

When you scroll down here to the white TZ
http://www.jp.sonystyle.com/Style-a/Product/T/

You will find written:
970g or 18h

So did it lose some weight or was it under 1KG with the light battery?

 

I also have had strong wishes about a white or whiteish model. And here it is! In fact, the black battery (cylinder) can be also be looked at as something cool, in contrast to the white. But I hope that there soon will be a white battery option also.

Somebody who knows when these new models will be available internationally, through for instance Conics and PriceJapan? With white color and 64GB SSD and dvd drive?

 

I think the white color looks horrible.

The black and white combination looks pretty bad to me.

They should have made it all white.

 

Looks like these new options are already on Conics.net

The TZ currently isn't listed on PriceJapan.com, they must be updating their page, Dynamism currently hasn't updated either.

Now I want the yen to rapidly devalue against the U.S Dollar!


I'm also confused about the new option to have just a 48 or 64gb SSD. So would it be possible to later add a 2.5" hard drive or DVD drive? Will there be a third USB port just like if you get the 2.5" hard drive or will there be a completely blank bezel? Thanks!

 

never mind

 

There stands "Only SSD installed, no HDD 2,5" no DVDRW, no WWAN, 1GB ram" weight savings everywhere and TZ90s didn't have option to be ordered with SSD only.

Fully loaded TZ91 (U7600, 2GB ram, 64GB SSD + DVDRW, WiFi abgn, TMP, Fingerprint sensor, BPL11, Eng keyboard) is for $3033 at PJs without shipping, shop's fee etc.. $3300 at conics w/o shipping..

no, it wasnt any promo. More over, I missed 63EUR price drop last week..

 

Thats expensive, BUT, the upcoming TZ195N/XC in North America only has a 48gb SSD and its MSRP is $3400.

When the 48 and/or 64gb SSDs come to Europe, it will cost even more, no wonder so many Europeans are importing from Japan!

Its cheaper to import the TZ from Japan and you have way more options to boot. Why buy locally?

 

rahulnirmal: Tell me about it.. for $3400 i can get U7500, 2GB ram, 100GB + DVDRW, wifi abg, bps11 here..

 

Wow,
It came so quickly the refresh!! Already on conics?? If I knew I would wait for the 64GB SSD. I bought the 32GB at end of July with the thought that the next TZ will come at least after 3 months...

 

hard to call it a 'refresh' if the only difference is a bigger SSD.

 

Not just that, now there's an option for a 200gb 2.5" hard drive in addition to the 160gb. Also two new colors, white and green and you have the option to order the TZ with just a 48gb or 64gb SSD, Oh, and also WWAN is now built in.

Its pretty nice if you ask me, I call it a definite refresh.

 

I don't see how a tad over $3000 is expensive for top of the line model with the 64GB SSD and optical when the top line model for the US with just the 32GB SSD is already over $3000.

The new pricing for the topline is actually quite a bargain when considering Dell charges over $1,000 for the 64GB upgrade.

One reason of purchasing locally is the local warranty and Vista in your country's language.

 

I don't think it's that the price went down so much as they expanded the options. You have to realize that eventually the price will fall, though (and I don't see Sony giving out $100 SonyStyle credits ).

Also, note that tz91 != tz191. The tz91 is only sold in Japan, while the tz191 is a US model. I think the Japanese TZs have always been less expensive than the equivalent US TZs, but importing from Japan you potentially have to deal with installing an English OS yourself, international warranty headaches, etc. As you can see on the forums, though, there are plenty of us who decided to import to save some money or have more options to choose from.

 

If you import it, you have loads of other Westerners who have imported it who can help you with language issues, installing English Vista or XP, etc. They'll probably be more helpful than any support team. If I am correct, you can get an international warranty but it lasts only 1 year vs the standard 3 year Japan-only warranty right?

 

Of course! I really agree with rahulnirmal!

At long last: White color, very very nice and 64GB SSD etc.

This is really great news from Sony on the sub-laptop front!
And what about also offering white batteries?

 

yeah i agree with that. i was talking from exetlaios point of view since he only wanted the bigger ssd.

 

I thought that the only difference was the larger SSD, but as rahu said is also the WWAN built-in, and the colours. Now, more than ever I think I will sell my TZ for a new one. Be connected everywhere was a big issue to me also before but now I really need it. And the larger SSD also...
Any ideas where can I put the TZ for selling? I have it from the end of July and seems new.

 

are you getting the white one? cool!

I dont care about the 64gb SSD, I already have an 8gb memory stick and 8gb sdhc. for songs movies etc. and I have 21gb left of the 32 after installing some programs (itunes, office, etc,etc etc)

I just hope it doesnt get a new processor and more ram any time soon. then... ill be pissed!

 

No man, no way!!

Personally, I find ugly the white colour, specially with the black battery...
I will take again the premium carbon, I'm in love with this colour!
For my needs, is not only the 64GB that is good also, but more is the WWAN that I always wanted and needed. I'm in the road all the time and is annoying to search for wi-fi spots.

 

I have never used WWAN and am not familiar with it. Would you be able to unlock the Japanese TZ's WWAN and use your European or American service?

 

The WWAN service is available in the U.S. via Sprint. Already some have popped up on Ebay.

 

conics already have it out.

 

dynamism is selling the new model also, but they charge you an arm and a leg for that. 2GB ram upgrade for $299?? Woot!! All their models have 1GB ram.

 

Yup that is the same when you buy it from Hong Kong. The green doesn't look bad at all.

 

Wow, congrats on getting the new, best laptop in the world! (for its size obviously) Let us know if the SSD is any faster than the 32gb

 

The white one feels like a Apple MacBook + Sony Design all combine into 1.

The white and green one carbon fiber or plastic?

 

All TZ's have carbon fiber, the color is purely cosmetic.

 

That's the critical question. The Japanese TZ's WWAN is for DoCoMo's "FOMA High Speed" (HSDPA) service. Since it's HSDPA, it should theoretically be usable in Europe as well, but it might be locked to DoCoMo and therefore need some sort of unlocking, as you mention. It isn't going to be useful in the US yet -- HSDPA coverage is being rolled out by AT&T but is extremely limited at the moment, and both Sprint and Verizon use a different and incompatible WWAN technology (EV-DO).

 

For the white colour maybe, but it was actually Apple who copied the design of the keyboard from Sony.

 

There is an easier solution for that: get a express card WWAN.

You may have problems making a japanese WWAN work in Europe.

but, considering the prices in europe you should be able to sell your TZ at (almost) the same price you paid for it.

 

I spoke with Brett from conics, and he told that they must test it to see if the WWAN can be used in Europe. If not, yeah I'm going to take an express card. But, because TZ is my primary laptop the extra-storage SSD is also very important to me.
Phil, do you know any sites where can I put the add of seling(except here)?

 

EBay and if you have some local websites in your country

 

If you would want to sell it in Holland it would be marktplaats.nl or speurders.nl

Italy propably has something similar.

You could also try ebay, but it maybe hard if you don't have any feedback. I am not sure. Maybe just try it and see what happens.

You could use some of my ad: http://cgi.ebay.nl/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=180153216411&ssPageName=STRK:MESO:IT&ih=008

PS. i never sold it for that price, the nr1 bidder was a scammer.

 

I sold the TZ to a forum member here, so you might want to try the F/S/T forum.

The green one sure looks nice. I guess it makes it a lot more expensive for them to produce color matching batteries.

 

Yes, I am a bit uncertain, on the basis of the pictures, about what I mean about the mix of a (for me) beautiful white machine with a black battry. Perhaps this will appear kind of cool, or perhaps a bit strange. I don't know yet. But I hope there will be an option with also white batteries.

 

Finally, time to post! Greets from Holland!

I don't believe that I see anything worth upgrading my four-week-old TZ for, except the WWAN, if it can be made to work in the good ol' USA.

While I love white, I know that it will get dirty, so that issue will have to wait for others to report back on. Besides, I'm also not sure about the black hinge/bottom combo, I would need to see it in person.

But, overall, Sony has just made the best notebook computer even harder to pass up, this one is going become a huge best-seller for the one and only.

 

For which price and to which country have you sold your TZ in the end?

BTW: why is someone asking if the CPU "whines"? What does this mean? Is this another common problem of the TZ90?

And 15 different batteries only for *one* Sony notebook model (green, white, gold, bordeaux, black - light, normal, big battery) ... I don't think that this will be what retailers dream of.

I wonder if Sony solved the "internal" problems of the TZ90 as well. For example some topics discussed in this forum (as far as I remember):

- Very slow card readers (both) - no readyboost possible etc.

- No higher external resolution than 1600x1200 (at least not without buying expensive software like Powerstrip)

- Almost everything within the notebook connected to the USB bus (sometimes without being necessary), consuming and reducing the maximum USB bandwidth.

- To some extent silent, but annoying fan, starting and stopping every 30 seconds

- Very strong "light leaking" on top and bottom of screen

- Compared to other SSD slow average read speed of the 32 GB SSD (only 30 to 35 MB/s)

- and so on...


This I would call a real refresh! Otherwise... same "****", only bigger hard drive and white colour.

And: *sarcasm on*

I really wonder why the colour "(apple ) white" has no additional costs (like green or bordeaux). Apple "worshippers" are used to pay a big premium to get what they want. Sony should make profit of this.

*sarcasm off*

 

Mr. Bonk wrote: "And 15 different batteries only for *one* Sony notebook model (green, white, gold, bordeaux, black - light, normal, big battery) ... I don't think that this will be what retailers dream of."

Agree, of course not.

However, I think the gorgeous white model is the one that most need a battery option that is of the same color as the machine. The other colors are IMO perhaps less in a need for batteries of the same color?

 

The limited edition 505 TZ that will come out in November had a picture of it with a purple hinge and battery.

 

Interesting. Do you have a site to refer to?