New Vaio F Model

Hi
Any new vaio with new specs comin up ? anybody knows ?
Any Core i7 or QX9300 CPUs ? and DDR-3s 1333 or 1600 ?
Something like this below ? Precision M6500


Core i7 * 16 GB of RAM ! * 2x 256 SSD * ATI FirePro M7740 * or Nvidia Quadro FX 2800M a 3800M * or GPS! ?
Nothing from sony ?? mmm no
Sony being CRAP!

This cheap Acer Aspire 8940G




haz amazing results from Everest Memory Test : ( vaio has crappy 6500 or 6850 something like that no more; latency? 80 phew .. )

 

What is the point of this thread? And look at the thickness of that Precision!! Holy shizer, I wouldn't touch that laptop with a 10-foot pole!

Vaios are not just about shoving the newest technology in a brick, it's about style and quality. The specs come second in Vaios.

 

Those are ugly tanks of laptops. I have no interest in anything bigger than 14" and heavier than 4 lbs.

I AM curious about a VAIO Z refresh.

 

Perhaps, after CES 2010 we'll being seeing a lineup of new (or refreshed) laptops following the release of Intel's Arrandale platform and possibly ATI's 5xxx cards.

 

It;s not about them I don't like them as well but
Where is the sony vaio with core i7 and better speed ram
that can be there with quality and style dont u think ?

 

Patience. Of course they are coming! It's just a matter of when...

 

Well, right now I don't know any stylish and quality laptop that has i7 CPUs. the Dell XPS is decent but:
1. They get really hot, like really hot because of the CPUs and the powerful GPUs
2. It's still a Dell

There have been at least 5 or 6 threads plus countless posts asking when Sony is putting i7 CPUs in their laptops and it's same answer every time, not any time soon. Sony makes thin, sturdy laptops with an excellent cooling system. The i7 CPUs are also quad-core only right now and like I said, it will be even longer before Sony puts quad-core CPUs in their laptops. Actually, Sony may never use i7 CPUs, if anything they'll use the i5 dual-cores coming out early next year.

I'd rather have normal Core 2 Duo CPU that runs cool than an overpowered quad-core CPU that will be capable of heating up my room.

 

New models will most likely appear in summer.

If they follow their old pattern there will be some refreshes this winter, as usual.

 

The do have new things coming. Before summer.

 

AAah I think they will
acer, hp, dell, lenovo , asus etc .. all known brands has started with i7 ..

Whatt ??/ nooo !! am freezing here in england its winter
I need hot here all the time

 

So if you're so sure Sony will be using i7, why did you start a new thread asking so? I know by looking at Sony's Vaio history that chances are they won't be using i7 any time soon, maybe when the next refresh comes by early next year but like I said even then, I'm willing to bet money they'll be using i5 CPUs instead.

Like I said, if you're looking for the latest computer specs and Sony, you're looking in the wrong place. People buying Vaios look for a stylish and well-rounded product that for example, in my case... there's nothing a Vaio FW with a Core 2 Duo CPU can't do that a Dell XPS with i7 can.

When I bought the FW, I didn't care if it had the newest CPU or GPU. I liked the way it looked, it was sturdy and well-built. I checked to see that the specs were decent enough (and they are) and boom. I didn't check if it used the newest Intel chip or the newest ATI GPU, as long as it had a dedicated GPU but I didn't care.

 

Wolf04 is right. Sony Vaio's are all about style, build quality and not about high end hardware specs.

 

Well, within reason.

I mean the T9300 in the SZ is in the "high end" - but its not "the highest".

So even if Sony were to use an i7 - expect the lower models, not the high end ones.

 

Of course within reason. I mean look at the Vaio Z: you can have a 2.8 GHz CPU, 8 GB of high-speed RAM, 256 GB SSD in RAID, Blu-Ray R/RW, and a 13" LED screen with 1600x900 resolution... all in a tight, well-built chassis.

The Z is a small monster but it ultimately fails at the GPU. Sony should stick with ATI GPUs and forget about those power-hungry, hot (like literally) nvidia GPUs.

And like you said, if Sony were to use i7 CPUs, they would use only the entry-level ones and they'll use them only on the big Vaio models, aka FW and AW but right now you can get a Core 2 Duo at 3.06GHz in both sooo why bother?

 

Any news or rumors on a new design/specs of the Z in January? I want to buy a Z but don't want a new one coming out in 1 month.

 

I think the SZ had a December update... I think generally Sony is pretty good at keeping that info secret...

 

Both the Z and SR have up to the T9900 (3.06Ghz) as an option, which by my knowledge currently still is most definitly high end.

The power usage of the early Arrandale models is expected to be 35W TDP:
http://www.fudzilla.com/content/view/16642/41/
Which means it is at the same level as the current T series, which also have a TDP of 35W.
The rating of the Arrandale models is however including the graphics core.

It should also be noted that the 2.66GHz Core i7-620M in the Arrandale series is not going to be a quad core, although it will support Hyperthreading to perform the work of four cores.
Anyway, if Sony will be introducing new models with Core i5's, I don't see why an i7 shouldn't be offered as an upgrade option.


Personally I find the Z series very attractive, but unfortunately the graphic card isn't up to the task I need a laptop for.
The SR is better on that front, but has the lower quality glare screen, which is a clear dealbreaker.
Besides, the card isn't switchable, which is plain silly for a portable 13" notebook.

So I wait, in hopes that the next redesign of the Z series doesn't take too long and will introduce better graphics.
I'm hoping for something performing equally to a GT 240, but more likely it will be something like a GT 310, which is quite an improvement already and uses only a bit more power.


It would be absolutely brilliant if the next Sony Vaio design would have an Arrandale processor coupled with an ATI 5570 card as switchable discreet graphics solution, with an anti-glare high resolution 13" screen and ports for two external monitors, one HDMI and one whatever they like. Wishful thinking, but still, one should be able to dream, no?
Oh, and I almost forgot about the high capacity battery. And plenty of ram obviously.

Cheers,
Solinx

 

The "graphics core" in the mobile i5/i7 isn't really a dedicated core, but added functionality of the x86 CPU. You still need a graphics card (or the equivalent embedded on the motherboard) to use it. And it doesn't really use much additional power, because it's really the same old CPU -- it's just running code for the graphics card instead of user/kernel programs when requested to do so. If you use it, you'll just have fewer cycles left for other things.

With Larrabee (Intel's discrete chip version of x86-based graphics) now having been killed off, there's little going for having x86-compatible graphics. So it's basically just going to sit there, until i5/i7 has become low-end, and manufacturers can shave off a few pennies and produce a cheaper machine by not adding a dedicated GPU (they still need to add all the rest of the graphics circuitry, of course). But I doubt it will be used on high-end -- an up to 25% drop in CPU performance when the graphics is heavily used isn't going to be a good selling point.

 

Did you see the Fifa World cup 2010 draw?

There was the movie of history of world cups and in it the boy take out his Sony Vaio laptop, which I never had seen before. I think it is a FW successor because of th similar design, some chrome on the hinge, black colour around the screen (like MBP) and lit keyboard.

Sony is also sponsor of World Cup, so it would make sense to show it there?
Couldn't find any picture though.

 

Try Youtube if you know what you are looking for, then post a link and maybe some screenshots - good luck!

 

Ok, found this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HEVy23Xzvk

At 4.40 there is a nice view of it, I think it's a FW size compared with the proportions of people.

Also at 6.50 there is a mobile phone, seems like iPhone with yes/no buttons at the bottom.

Don't know, maybe it's just my imagination. What do you think?

 

Interesting indeed... the casing is rounded as the CW is - but the hinges don't match...

 

That looks too small for a FW to me. It looks more like a 11.1-13.3 in. The design looks similar to the TT but the TT bezel has got SONY written on it as opposed to VAIO. It also has another silver power button which this laptop does not.

 

It seems like TT like Rachel said, but instead of Sony is written Vaio...maybe different models of the TT in Asia?
I am quite sure with the PineTrail coming in CES we will definitely new models from Sony.

 

That was my thought as well. I think Sony put Vaio on the front just for this video so people are aware of Sony's laptop series. If people see Vaio, they'll search it on the Internet and find out its Sony's laptop line.

 

From other angles i think I could see the silver power button.
I own a TT36G/D. It is a model that was sold in Hong Kong and it has Sony printed on the bezel and not Vaio. The models they sell in South Africa look exactly the same also.
It is a bit strange that but like Wolf04 said it could be down to some marketing reason. Sometimes you cannot blatantly advertise things so sometimes you see like the Apple logo covered up in programmes.
Or may be it could be a new model which i doubt but you never know.

 

Shouldn't we expect the Z to go with the 18W or 25W low voltage I7's? My guess is the 25W version, since it is more powerful and replacing the P line:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...rs#.22Arrandale.22_.28low_voltage.3B_32_nm.29

Still only 2 cores, but I'm guessing longer battery life and more power.

Couple that with a 310M graphics (14W instead of current 9300GS's 13W) and you have a lower wattage but more powerful combo that should be good for most anything you want to do short of high end graphics.

 

The 18W Arrandales replace culv processors like the SU7300 or SU9400, the 25W versions replace processors like the SP or SL series, so the Z (or replacement) will probably use the 35W Core i5/i7 "M" versions.

 

That is a nice list on wikipedia, but the release date information isn't up to date.
If the new VAIO model(s) is/are to appear in January, it/they will probablly have 35W Arrandales.

Considering the VAIO Z series now offers a choice between the P and T processor series, 25W versions could be offered later on as they become available.

Yes, Larrabee yesterday being delayed indefinetly was some bad news.
Even so, Intel may not have abandoned the concept entirely, as is suggested here:
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscent...bad_news_is_good_news_for_nvidia_and_amd.html

Anyway, I found information from this years IDF that conflicts with what you say about the Arrandale GPU core:
http://hothardware.com/Articles/Intel-32nm-Clarkdale--Arrandale-CPU-Preview/

It covers how the CPUs are manufactured at 32nm and the GPU at 45nm, meaning the cores are separate, not merged on a single die. So I really don't see why CPU performance should suffer when the GPU core is used.

Furthermore, it tells about the claim by intel that it performs 50% higher than the current X4500HD. Forgetting the performance numbers for a moment, this line tells us the IGP 4500 series, which today is quite common in various notebooks, is likely going to be replaced with Arrandale.

As for the perfomance aspect, the value of an IGP is not its graphic performance, instead its value is in the minimal power requirement while maintaining workable graphic performance. High end or low end, battery life is an important feature for all notebooks.

The VAIO Z series already has switchable graphics, combining an IGP of the 4500 series with a discreet NVIDIA 9300 solution. Referring now back to the 50% increase in performance, that NVIDIA solution won't remain much of an improvement.

Of course, requirements increase as well, as does the performance of discreet cards, yet it shows that using the GPU of Arrandale for an IGP in a VAIO isn't such a strange thought. Of course, preferrably coupled with a nice fresh discreet graphics solution, but for if it came down to making a choice between discreet or an Arrandale GPU, I'd probably go for the later due to the better battery life.

As for the 310M mentioned by tktk, I would prefer something else. The 3xx suggests it is a new model, with new features, but it is acually just a renamed model from the 2xx series. I'd rather see something from ATI this time around. Unfortunately tktk is not the only one to mention the 310M in combination with Arrandale.

 

I have no brand preference. As long as it offers decent low end discrete graphics that can handle most/all games at low/mid settings without burning out. The g210 seems to offer decent low end performance given its meager power consumption on the new ASUS UL line, FWIW.

As others have posted, the sad little 9300M GS is what is holding the Z down. It really does not offer that much of an advantage over integrated graphics to be worth the premium. If you are going to go to the effort of putting in switchable graphics...

 

If the graphics are going to be switchable, I wouldn't mind a somewhat better discreet solution, even if it means it will be a more power hungry one. Afterall, it would only be power hungry when activated.

At the point of introduction, the 9300M did the same as the G210/G310 does now: it seemed to offer decent low end performance given its meager power consumption. Going by what NVIDIA said about the performance of ION 2, the G210 / G310 is the basis for ION 2, and ION 1 is little more than a 9300M.

I'd be more interested in the GT 330M. It is expected to perform slightly better than a GT 240M, while consuming 23 Watt, which is little more than 14 Watt. Besides that, with the 2xx series, idle power management was improved significantly.

The GT 340M may also appear to be an interesting option, although it has not been announced yet. The GT 230M and GT 240M both also use just 23 Watt. If the GT 340M follows the same line as the GT 330M, it could mean it will offer the performance of a GT 250M at 23W.

From Ati I would be interested in seeing how the 5500 series perform, and whether they will be able to maintain the low power usage. In my situation it would actually be ideal if it came with a Quadro NVS 320M, but that is unlikely to happen

 

For FW, I don't really want Core i5/i7 because their overpriced and heat problem, Core 2 Duo is well performing now for my needs. What I really want Sony to refresh FW is DDR3, RGB LED monitor, backlit keyboard.

 

Its not just power consumption with the CPU and GPU... its heat.

The Z is really small and light considering its optical drive and high end parts. Things are really packed in there, and I'd think a lot of GPU's would overheat.

I guess if tom_riddle is right, that could be an issue with and Arrendale as well.

 

*blink* You call a 64% increase "little more"?

The problem is that the case has to get rid of the extra heat. And with the same surface area, the airflow has to increase roughly with the square of the heat increase. That means 2.7 times the air flow!

Sure, a high speed fan could do it. But would you put up with an exhaust system that sounds like a Lear Jet taking off?

 

@tom_riddle:

I had not heard of heat problems with the Core i5/i7.
Considering the delay in releasing lower voltage units, it does seem plausible.

After a short search with google I couldn't find any heat problems where the processor was actually the cause.
With the few complains I found and read each time it turned out the thermal paste was not applied correctly, causing the excessive temperatures.

On paper the T9900 (Dual core - 35W - 105 degrees) does actually run slightly hotter than the i7 (Quad core - 45W TDP - 100 degrees):
http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLGEE
http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLBLX

The P7450 (dual core - 25W - 90 degrees) does run cooler:
http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLB54

The Arrandales are dual core instead of quad core, and use 35W instead of 45W, so I would expect even lower temperatures.

As for being overpriced, yeah, new hardware usually is. If Core 2 suits your needs just fine, that will be the most economical option for a while yet.


@tktk & arth1:

The heat produced by the graphics card is indeed important to consider. And probably that will be the main reason the thing will end up with a 210M/310M anyhow.

It really is a shame the 5500 series could not arrive sooner. The 'old' ATI 4570 also only uses up to 15 Watt, and performs equal to the 'brand new' 310M. Makes you wonder what the 5570 would be like... the performance of the 330M, or perhaps even 340M, at 15W... hmmm, though choice...

Anyway, I would indeed call a differences of 9 Watt 'little more'. Afterall, the difference between a P series processor and a T series processor is 10 Watt. I will admit though, that a 23W 330M wouldn't be an ideal candidate for a combination with a 35W Arrandale. The extra cooling would only be necessary when the discreet card is active, but it would still need to be there.

When on the other hand the 25W Arrandels become available, the combined package should be cooler than the current Vaio Z's with a T series processor. As you say, surface area matters. With the current Vaio Z (with T), the heatproduction is divided into 35W + 13W. With the 25W Arrandale and 330M, it would be 25W + 23W. The sum of the heat production remains the same, but the heatproduction can be more equally distributed over the area of the notebook. That should make it easier to dissipate the heat, should it not?

Just sticking with a 310M soon enough gives you the same picture as that of the current Z series: Brilliant machine in every aspect, excepting the utter crap graphics.

I understand not everyone will find this to be an issue, so perhaps Sony could present a choice between 310M and 330M (or 340M). That would be similar to the choice given with the SR series.

 

Anyone knows any information about new VAIO models will be introduced in CES 2010? I will wait until that day to see the suprise ^^

 

so what do you think?
still you think it has no point ?
discuss about new things new hardware new laptops
I like talk about these things .. for example on engadged site there is very often
question how would you change this item and that item etc..
its good discuss about things like this ...
and I will so much welcome core i123456789 on vaio laptops ..
am not bothered about graphics they dont need to be there high end because vaio laptop is not for games its not gamer laptop ... It's stylish

 

Regarding the Z, who exactly is Sony competing with? What other full featured notebook under 4 lbs has discrete graphics- let alone an optical drive.

Off the top of my head, I can only name the ASUS UL30VT- which is not in the same league in terms of processor or market (and lacks an optical drive.)

Is there a competing IBM, Toshiba, Dell, HP, Fujitsu... with small size and discrete graphics?

Its hard to see Sony pressed to push the envelope if they are alone in the market segment.

 

Endgadget isn't all - the Dell Latitude V13 - the specs are there for all to see on Dell UK and Dell.de ...even with pricing - so much for rumours and "secret specs" (according to endgadget)

Anybody who would visit these two sites would have noticed earlier - why do I mention that, I think I found the perfect laptop suggestion for a fellow student

 

Well, the Thinkpad x200 comes closeish...

 

Lots of subcompacts (x200/x300, Toshiba R600...) but none with discrete graphics. But agree, the x200 is the closest given it has a full powered processor.

The ironic thing is that that the Z's discete graphics are so weak that it barely is an advantage at this point (since the x4500MHD has closed the gap somewhat between basement discrete and Intel's integrated.) But since the Z and X200 are price competitive, the Z still gets the edge even if the discrete graphics are only marginally better.

 

A P9500 a 25w processor has got the same up to thermal spec as T series processors. Does this mean that they have to run exactly in the same manner as T series processors? No, it doesn't mean that.
If you put a more powerful processor in some laptops it will result in raised temps and more throttling.
The quad core and Clarksfield processors from what i've seen without undervolting tend to idle higher than core2duo processors. So although the thermal spec may be slightly lower it tends to have higher temps doing normal tasks. They do better when the computer is taxed.
I'm sure this is only half of the story as well.

 

Ans when do you think Sony will be make an new AW laptop whit COre i7 ?
In 2009 ?
Thank you

 

Good points. Higher idle temperature (and power usage?) is bad news.

Those links I put up only show the values as Intel put them on paper.
They certainly should not be considered the full story.
I put them up because they do give some indication of power usage.

 

Sorry to go off on a tangent, but I said before that no one else makes a sub 4 lb notebook with good dedicated graphics...

And I was wrong. The LG-P310 shows what Sony could put in the Z in terms of discrete graphics- a 9600M GT in this case, (which is a relabeled g220M.) alongside a P9500 CPU weighing in at 3.6 lbs with 13.3 inch screen.
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-LG-P310-Camini-Notebook.15859.0.html . BTW, 3DMark of 5099 is not too shabby.

I'd be very excited if Sony went this type of route with switchable graphics. In fact the 9600M GT uses 23W, same as the g240M... Doubt they will go that far, but it shows they could do it.

 

IMO, this is the best i7 notebook available now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE4IVQXByVs&feature=fvsr
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SPyMxCWdRU

 

I looked up the dimensions of the HP Envy 15 and I find it very hard to believe that it's thinner than the FW. Must have oven-like temperatures... plus, I'm kind of skeptical of HPs...

 

HP Envy 15 is so powerful but it's really hot and has a low battery life although the price is so expensive. I'm not interested in laptops with heat problem, it make me feel uncomfortable when using.

 

SO ANYWAYS...

New Vaio Z going to be announced in January maybe kinda hopefully ya??

 

and perhaps with GMA 4500MHD and NVIDIA Geforce 210M?