New VAIO Z and VAIO Z Canvas

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Now that the independent company's got rid of those pesky excess components, it's time for VAIO to make something new. And it's not a smartphone. Yet. The PC maker has announced two new PCs here in Tokyo: the VAIO Z and VAIO Z Canvas. The latter is actually eventual final version of the prototype tablet that did the rounds last year -- but we'll get to that. First, inside the flagship 13.3-inch VAIO Z which goes up for preorder in Japan later today, you'll find a second -generation high-speed SSD and an unspecified fifth-generation Core i7 processor, all bound up in aluminum-carbon shell. However, bare specs aside, the company reckons its a lot of the little details that matter, and we'll get to those right after the break.

It's been three years since we've seen the flagship Z series, and VAIO's attempted to bring its namesake right up to date: there's a 'multiflip' mode that allows users to switch between a tablet slate, ole-fashioned laptop, as well as a viewing mode where the screen faces away from the laptop. During the lengthy presentation, the execs were keen to stress that this 'Z' also stood for zero -- this is VAIO's new start.

Because of the aluminum-carbon construction, the Z weighs 1.34kg and measures in at 16.8mm thick. (Yep, the Lenovo LaVie HZ550 laptop that wowed us at CES is lighter, but it doesn't do so much hardware acrobatics, etierh.) VAIO is promising it'll eke out 15.5 hours of use, which would make it the longest lasting laptop it's evermade. That's ever. The company even claims that its keyboard sounds less annoying, and its built a keyboard that makes substantially less noise -- once we've hammered away at one, we'll let you know how that exclamation stands up. The return of the VAIO flagship won't come cheap: it'll retail for around 190,000 yen in Japan, which is a nudge over $1,600.

The VAIO Z Canvas (coming later in May) doesn't transform quite as much, but the keyboard is detachable from the 12.1-inch display, at 2,560 x 1,704 resolution, covering 95 percent of the Adobe RGB color gamut. It's pitched less as typical workhouse Ultrabook, and more for the creatives among us -- we know you're out there -- naturally, there's a (unspecified) digitizer stylus alongside the device itself. Details were notably sparse, but then, there's still three months to go. VAIO does promise that it'll be able to cram up to 1TB of storage inside the Z Canvas.

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http://www.engadget.com/2015/02/16/vaio-z-flagship-laptop-return/
https://vaio.com/products/z/
https://vaio.com/products/z_canvas/

Review: http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/column/hothot/20150216_688441.html

 

The return of the Vaio Z!

 

I didn't think to be terribly remarkable until I noticed what may be a 28W CPU used instead of the regular ULV one. So possible rMBP competitor?

 

So it's the updated Vaio Fit multi-flip 13A renamed as a Z. It may have been updated with a better screen, more memory, and a longer battery life, but it doesn't seem that revolutionary.

 

The Canvas is where it's at for me - smaller form factor, better processor, all ports, up to 16GB and 1TB of SSD internal. The new regular Z looks like they learned from the past and hopefully improved the Flip and it looks like they are going out of their way to talk about things like the wireless which plagued the Pro series. Since it will be Japan only, it's not like they're trying to appeal to an international market. The regular Z also has a normal, not ULV, processor in that body. Keep that in mind. It's really a nice machine. If the Canvas didn't tick my boxes, I'd go for it.

Regular Z with good pics:
http://www.itmedia.co.jp/pcuser/articles/1502/16/news074.html

Another article:
http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/column/ubiq/20150216_688437.html

The Canvas:
http://www.itmedia.co.jp/pcuser/articles/1502/16/news073.html

 

http://slatereview.net/sony-vaio-z-2015-review/

Review for the new Vaio Z. Looks amazing but I think I'll stick with my rMBP.

 

Vaio is back!!! Vaio is back!!! And starting with bringing back the legendary Z to boot!
WHOOOOOOOOO!
This might have just made my day! ^_____^

 

Please release this in the UK. Please release this in the UK. Please release this in the UK. Please release this in the UK. Please release this in the UK. Please release this in the UK. Please release this in the UK!!!

Goddam it, PLEASE!!!!

 

Now we just need the Japanese Yen currency to drop a little bit further, lol.

 

Hmm...is the Intel GPU any good?

 

Looks nice, but I notice they have removed the fingerprint reader. Will be interesting to read the reviews of these two when they come out.

I guess notebookreview.com is going to have to create a new Vaio section as I did not think to look under "Sony" just now.

 

So, it is the cross between Vaio Duo and Fit Flip, combining better qualities from each. It sounds pretty good, and it probably is what Duo/Fit Flip should have been in the first place. I would like to get one if I am in market for convertibles/ultraportables.

About 30% above HD5500, so you'll be gaming on 1280*720 and mid-low. Z Canvas is supposed to get Iris Pro, so it is not impossible for Z to get the same CPU upgrade in the future. It seems to have better cooling setup that some ultrabooks with dGPU....

 

The regular Z (Z Pro or whatever) will get a spec bump at some point this year, but it remains to be seen with with. I doubt it will get the i7 H processor that the Canvas has.

The Canvas is a bit of Tap and Duo combined. I still like what the Duo 11 brought to the table overall ...

 

What a terrible insult to the old vaio z, this new Z has nothing on the old vaio SVZ13. Its a nice machine but to to compare it to the glossy carbon fiber, ultra light vaio z is not right.

I hope they release a proper Vaio Z replacement, it seems that the new company is not being very adventurous, they should take the pro 13 and turn that into the new vaio Z replacement with updated QUAD cpu and 16GB ram, I am dreaming but all we can do is but hope.

 

Well, the clamshell Z IMO is better than the Pro 11 or 13. I'm sorry, but that machine was not great. The SVZ was 1.17kg. The new Z clamshell is 1.34kg - basically 2.57 vs. 2.95 lbs. I will admit .4 can feel different but it's not MUCH heavier. Better specs, it's got the sRGB screen stuff the SVZ had, a digitizer, etc. I'd say it's a pretty worthy successor.

The Z Canvas is the powerhorse, but not a clamshell so spec wise, it's more the spiritual successor to the regular Z series, but it more of a mashup of the Tap/Duo series in looks/feel.

So I'd say it's pretty worthy of the Z moniker. Sure, the clamshell is a bit of a revamped Fit and not more like the Pro, but it seems they are taking some of the best of a few series and doing this. Plus, it's more of a power machine than most of the recent ones in Sony/Vaio history. Sony hasn't had a 16GB machine outside of the bigger ones in quite some time.

 

Question is, how can we non jap order these?

 

to be honest, its not fair you are comparing these specs with a 3 years old machine almost. The SVZ 13 design and power was leaps and bounds above anything at the time. The form factor and specs and weights were not matched by anything and not to talk about the beautiful design, THIS new nonsense is nothing compared to it. Dont get me wrong this new Z is a nice machine compared to something like lenovo X1 and ASUS zenbook but compared to the old Z, I don't think so. Even the pro 13 look much better but with the pro 13 I just felt Sony would of perfected the design in a few iterations. Remember Sony was catering designs to market demand. The Z series was their last attempts at creating something extreme and from then on it was always catering to market demand so they borrowed from the X and Z designs and created the Pro series.
This new Z is an amalgamation of many machines, it would be nice if they added a similar specs to the pro 13 series that would be amazing. This new company is not sony any more unfortunately. I hope they don't destroy the Pro series with a similar transformation.

 

Good to see that Vaio has finally released something in Japan.

Personally, I would need to see a traditional, uni-body clam get released like the old SVZ 13 or Pro 13 design before considering Vaio again.

Availability in the US and UK is obviously another huge issue/hurdle.

 

This review is absurd! They refer to this as a "Sony Vaio Z" and make up some nonsense about it being sold in Sony stores. That's absolute BS! Sony has absolutely nothing to do with this product or the Vaio brand. Take everything else in this review with a heavy grain of salt.

 

These may be nice, competitive products in today's market, but this is an extremely tiny, un-capitalized company that will have trouble building and supporting output of more than 10,000 units in Japan only. Chances of this company taking these (nicely) modified Sony Flip/Duo machines with a "Z" slapped on them ever selling in Europe, much less the U.S., is way less than 1%. If PR and the love of the Sony brand could make for a viable computer business Sony would not have had to sell it. This group has about 125 employees. Any 50 smart engineers/designers could have designed this machine and gotten it manufactured by contract mfrs and, because of the bastardized brand name - so successfully that some idiotic publications ^ think it's made by Sony, gotten the large amount of buzz these people have gotten. The truth is, the only way these people could survive one market cycle would be if they priced these about 2x what they are and managed to sell enough units on hype to avoid losing $10s of millions the first year and be gone the next. Honestly people, how gullible can you be - as gullible as the media??

 

While it is not a "Sony" Vaio, it is actually being sold through Sony's Online store.
http://store.sony.jp/Special/Computer/Vaio/Z/index.html

Sony also still has a 5% stake in VAIO, while JIP has the remaining 95%.

 

Some great reviews here---> http://kunkoku.com/vaiomonster-pc-vaio-z3d.html in japanese so use google translate

 

I would totally import this if only I could get the extended warranty and an American keyboard layout. That spacebar is just way too small.

 

Pricejapan exports them I noticed

 

I remember the old Z's were offered with English keyboards even in Japan. Since they're not offering it now, I'm guessing it might be a sign they're not going to release it outside of Japan anytime soon.

 

Give it time. If they sell well and have wide user acclaim that will attract investment capital for them to grow - even if only to make other language keyboards and relationships in other countries for service and support, etc. Still, I think that's 2 years away - but what do I know? (I know, I know, you were already thinking that.

 

Is it really that far off? I can probably go another year with this Z3, but I really hate it, and I kinda need a laptop that I can make basic drawings on. Should I go with something like the Razer until Vaio comes back here? Do we know if it ever will?

 

Don't count on Vaio ever being sold outside Japan. I have no problems typing on a Japanese keyboard since most of my laptops have come from Japan since 2004. But it would be problematic for some, so if you're OK with that, use an importer. If not, find something else.

 

What importers did you use?

 

I still can't decide between the Razer 14 inch and trying to import this new Z. I'm leaning more toward Z now because the Razer runs much hotter, has much less battery life, and is much heavier. The only drawbacks to the Z I can see for me is the lack of a dedicated graphics card, there probably being no protective skins available that will fit it, and the keyboard as the biggest problem. But I bet I could remap some of those keys on the bottom and tape plastic over them to make them one spacebar key or something. Anyone think that's a good idea?

Also I emailed that PriceJapan website today. They seem a little too good to be true. Not sure.

I also wonder if it's easy to swipe out the SSD in this new Z.

 

Some additional info:

 

Razer runs much hotter - it is a lot more powerful. Use it for normal stuff and it will be cool and silent.
Razer has much less battery life - under gaming conditions. Use it for normal stuff and it will last much longer.

The weight is a problem.
Touch screen model 4.47lbs / 2.03kg
Non touch screen 4.19lbs / 1.9kg

I would classify the Razer as a desktop replacement, like the VPCZ1 was in its day. The Z3 goes in the ultrabook category.
http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-systems/razer-blade

Ultimately, you have to pick what works for you. If you have a desktop and home and work, and want to use the Z3 in between, that will work. If you want something beefier on the move - say if you spend a lot of time in hotel rooms - then you need something like the Razer Blade.

Many people don't appreciate that the discrete GPU is good for more things than just gaming. Video runs better, of course, but so do video encoding/re-encoding, graphics intesive applications, 3D rendering, etc. right down to things like brute force password cracking if you forget the password for a protected zip file. My electronic circuit simulation software crawls in stamina mode; in speed mode it runs MUCH faster.

 

I only have my Z3, and I run a website and do video editing, so I guess maybe I should go with the Razer.

My best friend was just over and pointed out that the new Z is a U processor, not the QM. -_- This whole time I thought Sony had packed it with the full-blown thing. So I guess there's really no reason to for me to get it now. Slower processor, no dedicated graphics, etc.

Fun note that the processor's power of the new Vaio Z almost exactly matches the 2010 model's i7, though it uses less power: http://www.cpu-world.com/Compare/13...7U_vs_Intel_Core_i7_Mobile_i7-640M_(BGA).html

People were saying the Razer was only getting like 4-5 hours while browsing the web at 30% brightness. That doesn't seem too great to me. Plus the weight... Also, I think it's about the same thickness as the Z3 with the extended battery.

Ugh, there just doesn't seem to be a perfect laptop out there. I feel like I should wait... IDK.

 

Nice review of the Razer Blade (2015) here: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2476486,00.asp

You might need to do a bit of tweaking to get better battery life. like turning off graphics acceleration in browsers, putting unnecessary services to bed, etc. A full system anti-virus scan can do terrible things to battery drain. Ditto file indexing. I haven't run XP-Antispy on my old laptop yet but I'm getting around to it.

 

Do you have the Razer? If so, how long does the battery life last for you with casual use?

Also do they update their laptop a lot? Would they be, say, working on the weight for the next edition?

 

No, too pricey for me while my Z1 still works. When it finally dies, and if I have enough money, I'll go for the Razer Blade for sure. It is a 70Wh battery, though. My Z1 has (had) 59.5. With a bit of tweaking, my Zi should do 6 hrs with a new battery. No reason why the Razer shouldn't do as well. They do have a utility that shuts down all non-essential stuff so that it doesn't get in the way of gaming,

It is unlikely that they'll do anything to reduce the weight. They are gamers; they do what makes sense to them. It is thin, though - like they say, thinner than a dime (standing on its edge), but they haven't gone the carbon fiber route.

 

No, too pricey for me while my Z1 still works. When it finally dies, and if I have enough money, I'll go for the Razer Blade for sure. It is a 70Wh battery, though. My Z1 has (had) 59.5. With a bit of tweaking, my Zi should do 6 hrs with a new battery. No reason why the Razer shouldn't do as well. They do have a utility that shuts down all non-essential stuff so that it doesn't get in the way of gaming,

It is unlikely that they'll do anything to reduce the weight. They are gamers; they do what makes sense to them. It is thin, though - like they say, thinner than a dime (standing on its edge), but they haven't gone the carbon fiber route.

 

my old gen 1 Vaio Z finally conked after 6+ years of usage
Currently using a Vaio Tap 11 with i7 / 8 gb / 256 SSD as replacement


Having a sad time trying to decipher which laptop replacement to get.
So far, all the new offerings from various manufacturer sucks
Either the design or the weight-performance is not there

If I'm to import from Japan / Vaio,
I think I will aim for the canvas instead

http://www.vaio.com/products/z_canvas/

--> Quad i7 processor!

 

@Firestone - I'm in the same boat as you are. To me, the canvas seems to be the most powerful upcoming windows tablet - i7 QC and possibly coupled with iris pro 5200 or 6200 - perfect for my needs. What concerns me the most though, is its repairability. As I don't see any screws from on the back with the pics, I hope it can be disassembled easier than the surface pro 3.

 

Can anyone confirm if the vaio z canvas keyboard is backlit? Seems even google has no idea

 

mmm..dynamism starts selling the Z http://www.dynamism.com/top-notebooks/vaio-z.shtml

 

That price is absolutely ridiculous, it's $1200 more than PriceJapan.

 

Are these customizable if I order them to deliver to my hotel in Japan?

 

I had PriceJapan deliver the Panasonic CF-RZ4 to my hotel in Japan last November. No issues.

 

You're paying for importing into the US, they change it to English (but if you know how to do it yourself, it's easy enough), etc. I've bought from Dynamism in the past and you will pay a premium. Heck, even PriceJapan adds a little. But with the Yen to Dollar so strong, it's hard to justify. Probably the biggest benefit of buying from Dynamism is that if you have an issue with it, you send to them, and they deal with Vaio in Japan. When I had my older laptops through them, they got my issues taken care of.
I do believe that PriceJapan will allow you to get the Wide Warranty and send it back to them. I would check.

 

If the canvas is similar to the keyboard of Vaio Tap, and it should be...

then it will not be backlit

For me, personally i just use the tablet, and a logitech backlit keyboard, which I very much prefer

 

Does anyone know if the new Z, or Z Canvas would have a BIOS or UEFI that can be read in English characters?

I usually buy PCs and immediately throw Linux on them (such as the Z3). Sometimes I need to poke around the BIOS and the thought of a Japanese only one scares me. The keyboard I can deal with.

 

Screw it! I'm pulling the trigger on this after the summer. I really don't have an idea what would I get for my S15 replacement, I was looking at MSI WS60, Aorus X7 and Razer Blade 14 but honestly they all look like half baked products. Im aware that this Z is a different class of notebook but maybe Surface factor is the way to go.

 

Will we be able to buy it on the USA? or we need to import it?
Thanks

 

So far import only. I'm holding on til Windows 10 upgrade and see what happens.

Btw I read somewhere that touchpad is actually 1mm mica, that's insane.