New Z model with Intel Core i5 CPU

I removed the heatsink-heatpipe-plate assembly and asked a silversmith to make me one exactly the same.
Whatever parts were soldered together became a single piece and arctic silver was applied between the CPU and the plate and the same for the GPU.
The problem was that the fins from what he told me but now I trust if I go to the same one he will know what to do...
Good thing is that I noticed about a 20C drop under load of the QX9300

 

Can you tell us approximately how much does the whole procedure cost?

 

I would be interested in adjusting my new Z, as well.

 

Except there was an anomaly. The idle power consumption of the i7 was unexpectly high. Unexpected results demand further testing to confirm that the issue is not with the testing equipment (ie. the actual base system).

Yes, however there is enough anecdotal information present in their array of i5 and i7 tests to question the first result's usefulness as a baseline (which is how many are attempting to use it here).

First, the maximum load consumption between the i7-based MB6 and the T410 are very similar, indicating that the systems are relatively similar. So why the vast difference in idle consumption?

Second, the T410's i7-based idle numbers are very similar to 3 separate i5-based systems. While other major variables have indeed changed between the two i7 systems, the fact that one of them is testing similar to three i5 systems is as useful at this time as the fact that the other doesn't.

So... at this point we can't really draw any firm conclusions. The evidence saying that the i7 draws abnormally more power is, in my opinion, about equal in weight to the evidence that says it doesn't (remember: it will draw MORE power, the question is, is the draw UNREASONABLE for the speed increase). What we need are additional tests between IDENTICAL systems running i5-520m/540m and i7-620m CPUs.

 

The i7 will draw more power when idling because it probably idles at a higher frequency than the i5... AND there is 1MB more L3 cache, which also requires juice...

 

Besides there is a difference between HyperThreading function in i5 and i7 processors. Core i7-620M has "8-way multi-task processing" whereas core i5-540M has only "4-way multi-task processing".

 

8-way is only for quad cores. I7-620M is only dual, right?

Correct me if I'm wrong, I could very well be as I'm not sitting by the specs right now.

Agree totally. This is the danger of forums. People assume too much, people base hard decisions on soft (often faulty) facts. Chill, gentlemen. Let some Z's out into the world, care them and nurse them, and see what they become. And also take temp checks often, and post here

 

The i5-520/540 and i7-620 are identical except for clocks and the one-third extra cache that requires powering; all are dual core with a total of 4 threads.

 

I've found the info on sony.com site

 

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=43560

# of Cores 2
# of Threads 4

Sony is dead wrong. That's bad....

 

Hi,

I've been following this thread closely and see mentions of an 8bit screen a couple of times - where do you receive this information? Do you have anything more regarding the type/manufacturer of the screen?

 

Why? What's wrong with Z?

 

Here is where I saw this info:

http://www.sonystyle.com.hk/ss/product/vaio/z117/feature_2.jsp#feature2_1

 

Any idea on how to translate

 

Perhaps he was maybe talking about the first gen Z ? Because I know my Z820 does not have any narrow vertical angle issues. As for color accuracy, he could be right in the respect of over saturation, but the current " old " Z definitely has a bright screen. I don't know anything about D65 color temperatures but I did make adjustments in the NVIDIA color profile and without the need for accurate color reproduction for professional photography needs, the Z's screen once adjusted does look great....well, to my eyes at least.

 

You will need to copy and paste the Chinese text into Google translate.

Here is the translation from Google of the text referring to the display:

Use of the latest high-end VAIO Z series of VAIO Display Premium LCD screen display with 100% NTSC color gamut, more than the level of the market in general. The Z117GG better coverage of 96% of Adobe RGB (96%) showed color gamut, enhanced color image to restore the degree of better performance in in-kind color. With the 8-bit display technology, than the average 6-bit displays 64 times higher than can be smooth to reproduce the most subtle level of changes, that quality is more vivid detail, for drawing or watch videos more helpful.
In addition, Z117GG is first with a 13.1 "screen at the same time with 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution of the laptop computer, greatly enhance the screen space, so that users can simultaneously browse multiple files or web pages to raise the overall efficiency. Leisure but also in the LCD Watch full-screen high-definition video, bringing clear and a beautiful high-quality images.

 

Alternatively, start using the Dev Channel for Google Chrome and a "translate webpage" bar automatically appears at the top of a website that's not in your default language ^^

 

Thanks for the tip

 

What Sony aren't telling us is

a) Explicitly how many bits is the 1600x900 display (I guess we assume 6)

b) What % of the Adobe RGB colour gamut does the 1600x900 display cover

I guess they are trying to say the 1920x1080 screen is great without saying that the 1600x900 is worse?

Also, @maratus, I think arth1 is just saying that battery life will be lower with the 1920x1080 screen, so the improvement comes at a price.

All things considered, in my opinion the screen on my Z is excellent in comparison to laptop screens at large. Though I've never once seen the diagonal line bug that people discuss, no matter how carefully I try, so perhaps there is some variation in the screens... just like how some of the old SZs were plagued by uneven backlighting while others were perfect.

 

Drvec
That was not my point. 1080p will surely require more power for its backlight (probably 30% more)

Why were you unable to set correct 6500K color temperature?

EDIT: Ok, I've just found your old post
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=4353348&postcount=5607

What about custom-made drivers (with modded .inf file? I have no plans using default (=outdated) nVidia drivers no matter what [hardcore gaming on-the-go] ) Will they have ability to change color temperature to 6500K? What about Intel GMA drivers?

 

Mighty Discount? EPP right now is 10%. I think that is about right with the 10% discount.

Yesterday I spec'ed the base system around $1700-$1800 w/EPP discount. That is i5-540m + 128GB SSD

What I notice is they don't offer just Blu-Ray player, but the player / burner combo, which is more expensive

 

http://translate.google.it/translat...r/articles/1002/17/news045_4.html&sl=ja&tl=en

 

Ack!! Thats what I get for going to a family member to order my Z

So Ive sent my order, if you remember, with the specs of 6GB RAM, i5-540m cpu, and 256GB SSD.

Today I get my order confirmation back and it says 8GB of RAM, i7-620m cpu, and no built in wireless. The price is much higher now, of course. Poor guy, just trying to be nice..I dont think he realizes I dont need 8GB of RAM!

All is well I suppose. Still big discount. Am I able to put in a built in wireless when I get the laptop? Or am I gonna be stuck with wireless cards that go into the express slot/usb/etc?

 

Are you talking about the Verizon mobile broadband internal modem ?

 

Not any one in specific. Just any type of built in wireless service. I wasnt sure if that was something you were able to go back and put in.

EDIT: Yes, like the verizon one. Something that will allow me to get a signal when im not in a wifi spot.

 

Thanks for the link!

Could anyone speaking Japanese please translate/summarize the last 3 paragraphs and last 4 image captions (about the font size and DPI settings)? I didn't understand the details from the google translation.
I'd like to know whether they mention any drawbacks of setting the full HD display to higher DPI. If it works good, then I'd buy the full HD display, otherwise I'd have to go with 1600x900 (hope it's readable).

 

@ yellowfrizbee :
I'm not the person who can guide you on installation of such a thing but I have read about others installing them, and it's not something which is a simple matter of pop open and drop in. With the new Z, the U.S.A. option is the Verizon Wireless EVDO modem and outside of the U.S.A. the built-in modem is most likely a G.S.M with H.S.D.P.A, Wimax modem, maybe L.T.E., you get my point. Thing is, you ask about the built-in option and assuming you are in the U.S.A., you really are better off buying an external EVDO modem as these things evolve rather quickly in regards to speed...3G vs 4G, connectivity in regards to multiple devices connecting to it at the same time instead of the one device with a built-in, and the fact that there are better options than the built-in $100.00 U.S. option. Just a few things to consider.

I do use a external Sprint mobile broadband USB modem and use it with my 3 VAIO's at the same time using one of these at home :

http://www.evdoinfo.com/content/view/2973/179/

and one of these when I am away from home :

http://www.evdoinfo.com/content/view/2355/63/

IMO, much better than any built-in wireless cellular modem.

 

Bought three of these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1-Troy-oz-999...lion_Bars_SM?hash=item3a5805039c#ht_953wt_908 wasn't from that seller but I just did a search on ebay to give you an example.
Gave them to a silversmith, he took a mold of the original heatsink heatpipes, etc and three weeks later I had to pay 500 euros because it was a custom job.

 

I did some research, and both of the Wireless options available for the Z11 feature Intel's new ad-hoc wireless experience (my nickname for their new ad-hoc Wireless LAN protocols) so if you were just satisfied with the LAN module, theoretically you could extend it to make a hotspot if you used an external/pcie modem card.

Or you could use something like a mifi, but from my research it only supports the 7.2Mb/sec of downloading whereas in Canada, we have brand new HSPA+ networks giving you 'theoretical' 21Mb/sec downloads. Other European countries have similar high-speed networks they're rolling out individually and to select cities. This latter option is either super 3G or slow 4G by anyone's definition. This is only accessible by our tellco's through new USB Modems requiring a SIM; until companies like Mifi update their lineup with more advanced chipsets and higher throughput. This is important considering multiple clients try to access the same connection.

Edit: Just found some 21 Mb/sec routers like this one http://www.netcommlimited.com/products/hspa-3g-routers/3g21wn damn these companies are fast

The Verizon WWAN situation is unique since the US is arguably one of the last major countries still using this CDMA technology, which requires a SIM to be physically attached and therefore permanent (isn't that right?). Everywhere else in the world, it looks like we'll either have to see what comes with the Z11's when they ship, and subsequently order separate PCI-e WWAN modules and ensure compatibility with our tellco/frequency of choices. Although the Japanese model features a GSM-like module I haven't found information on where the SIM slot is in the Z casing, if at all, and what frequencies it works with.

If I find that I can't get those HSPA+ speeds from any WWAN modules it may be easier just to get one of the new USB Modems and either create an ad-hoc network with a utility, or like you ehosey, find a portable router compliant with USB Modems. I got D-Link's DGL 4500 last year and for a while you could plug in your USB Modem and it would activate that over Wireless N! Too bad the North American firmware update destroyed that option ......... damn tellcos..

 

Very fair points. Im not fond of the idea of it taking up one of my only 3 usb slots or taking my one and only express slot completely, but with all things considered, I see your point.

I gotta admit, I had no idea how that cradle point worked! It was all foreign to me. Do I..carry it with me, or? If you give me the jist of what to search in google, ill start researching wireless cards

 

@yellowfrizbee: Can you not just change your order to get what you originally specified..?!

 

Well, im kinda in the situation of a middle man here. My dad works for bank of america and conveniently their company can get the Vaio Z for a discounted price.

So I told my dad the specs to order and he tells his company. Of course out of the kindness of his heart and in good intentions, he upped some of the specs I told him such as the 6GB of RAM to 8GB of RAM, which tbh, I cant really afford nor need ..thinking hed jack down the price, he took away the verizon built in to save $100 so he could compensate for the other specs that he upgraded.

 

The CTR 500, which is the one in the second link, is very small...the length of the Z charger brick but half the thickness, or just a little bigger than a deck of cards. It's the portable one. You just leave that in your notebook case and when you want to use it, just plug the Verizon or whichever carriers mobile broadband option you prefer into the Cradlepoint router and you are good to go, unless you have no power outlet, then consider this option because it has a built-in battery inside this router and is as small as the CTR500:

http://www.evdoinfo.com/content/view/2201/63/

Btw, check around the web for better prices because the prices you see in the reviews are a bit high.

 

In the existing (old) Z, if you have purchased one without a WWAN option you will need the WWAN card itself, the IFX board ( link) used to connect the card to the main board, the FPC cable ( link) that connects the IFX board to the main board and an FPC cable for the antenna (cannot locate that one)

So for the new one it could well be similar as they do not waste resources to provide a slot for the CDMA or 3G WWAN card if you do not ask for one.

The most convenient WWAN card is the EU850D (has a built-in sim card slot and GPS) so whenever you want you just change sim-provider and that's all.

 

Honestly, two out of the millions 540M and 620M made still wouldn't amount to anything. I remember similar debate when C2D Z first came out and people were debating between P9500 and P8600. Perhaps it is worth review a little what has transpired with C2D Z.

The fundamental is this, TDP is not power draw. TDP is what heat dissipate from the CPU after power got into the silicon and the silicon does its job of calculation. A good CPU core actually generates less heat than a slightly worse one and that's how Intel pick the core to give them appropriate clock speed -- the better one generates less heat for the same power, so they can bump power up and run more calculation at a given time that still generates the same heat.

So, by design, an avergage P9500 will always perform better than an average P8600 -- for the same calculation task, P9500 uses roughly the same power as P8600, but it creates less heat that the fan needs to dissipate. And for the same heat dissipation per second, P9500 can use more power to complete a more difficult task at the same time as P8600, or complete the same task in a shorter time than a P8600.

The only thing that's hurting P9500 is the min. multiplier and voltage that may be designed for the full power and when idle may not go down as much as P8600, and also the additional cache.

If I recall correctly, most C2D Z users report less than 10 minutes of difference in battery life between the two CPU choices. P8600 and P8400 only show noticeable edge battery life when you really put your system in an idle state most of the time. Oh, and the fact that Sony charges you $400 to upgrade from P8600 to P9500.

I would not be surprised if the new Z shows a similar trend between 620M and 540M.

 

@yellowfrizbee
And another thing, these routers increase the mobile broadband speed of the cards because you turn the cellular signal into a true wi-fi signal and achieve true 802.11n or 802.11g speeds and as for the MiFi devices, you are not limited to just 5 simultaneous connected devices, but up to 30 or 32 depending on the router.

 

Ah, I like it. Knowing me ill have to get used to remembering to take it with me! Maybe ill just tape it to my belt and consider myself a walking hot spot.

@nut, researching now.

 

Your 802.11g/n speeds are only to the MiFi. The MiFi is still limited by CDMA technology and will deliver the same speeds as the WWAN card.

Stefan

 

The MBR900 stays on the desk and the CTR500 stays inside the notebook case so the router never leaves without my Z.

 

You are correct about the MiFi, because it's basically an enlarged WWAN card. That's why I don't recommend it and did not provide any links to that device. But the Cradlepoint routers, that's a different situation. Over 802.11n with my mobile broadband card and the MBR900, I am averaging 144Mbps with 3 VAIO's connected at the same time.

 

So, ehosey, do you personally use that portable cradle point so that you dont have to take up a usb/express slot on your laptop? Or are their further advantages in your opinion?

 

Thanks!!! Still unclear about what % Adobe RGB the 1600x900 is, am I to assume it's 1619/1677x96% ?

"the text display is also a waste gas", "it will be ugly and work in the screen above the knee is not", "two of the Web browsing is a little tighter."

All seems perfectly clear to me

 

My apologies to anyone who is not interested in this part of the discussion as I'm not trying to hijack the thread, and it's main discussion being the new Z as it relates to connectivity options.

I initially bought the Cradlepoint MBR900 for home use because I wanted to use my 3 VAIO's at once instead plugging the EVDO modem to only one VAIO at a time. I maximize my mobile broadband plan this way. It does free up a USB port but honestly, for me 2 USB ports are enough. My mouse is BT frees up a USB port and with the new Z's option of having 3 USB's, that would be plenty for me.

The bonus was that it significantly increased my EVDO speed and I was so impressed with the Cradlepoint, I bought the CTR500 travel sized router, which provides up to 54Mbps. Your signal strength will vary obviously depending where you are. It's still faster than the USB modem being plugged in directly to the Z.

 

Guys what kind of battery life can we expect on this baby...?!!??

 

54Mbps is impossible over EVDO. The max speed possible on Rev A (Verizon) EVDO is a burst of 2.5Mbps and a sustained of 1.4Mbps. The only way to get 54Mbps is to bridge to wireless which you wouldn't need the CTR500 for.

Stefan

 

Just as the poster before me indicated, even with the HSDPA enabled MiFi's and the Cradlepoint, they only support network throughput limited at 7.2 Mb/sec as per networks, so the G/N certification really means nothing to network speeds since they far outclass anything a tellco can provide, unless you're in a unique situation (using Sprint's WIMAX). I actually have only been able to find one or two new portable routing products capable of providing the 21Mb/Sec that the new USB modules can deliver (Sierra 306) so if I plugged that modem into a wifi or cradlepoint, sadly those routers would not be passing that throughput to the clients! For any of those considering WWAN cards or new cards, as am I, this is crucial since buying technology (especially over $100+) which is limited at 7.2 Mb/sec may be sufficient for you, but keep in mind what I said that: A) Networks are being improved globally (and if you're paying for service why not maximize it?) in the short term and you're limiting how well you can scale, and B) Even if you really don't need those speeds, keep in mind if anyone simultaneously uses your network/hotspot (even through the Z's own utilities) you will see slower bandwidth if you use existing speeds especially in the next 6-12 months as wide-scale LTE begins its rollout. In fact just to mention that a conversation with TELUS recently revealed they've already begun installing new routers to their existing infrastructure. And if we're getting it, you can bet it'll be in many other countries by the end of 2010.

I feel all of this this is important because the Z is an Ultra-portable and we should seek to maximize the experience, since we're paying a pretty penny for it. If this is too off-topic I'll stop.

Edit: SonyStyle.ca just replied to me again on facebook (lol) nothing new here, don't know if this helps, but I believe our situation will mirror the US.. no HD screen :
We do offer custom options within the Z Series. WWAN is currently not available in Canada. The Z1190 will feature 5 different SSD's (up to 512GB [256GBx2]). In terms of the display, we will be offering a 13.1" widescreen LCD with XBRITE-DuraView™ technology (1600x900). The Z1190 will be available on SonyStyle.ca on March 7th. Hope this helps!

 

I am currently using the MBR900 and this is the current speed over 802.11n and the Sierra Compass 597 air card. It's definitely possible, or as in WiFi speak....theoretically possible. And, I do use Sprint.

 

The speed increases have something to do with the boosting of the EVDO signal and what Cradlepoint says has to do with the WiPipe technology that "helps prioritize time-critical packets to provide the best performance in latency-sensitive applications, while insuring that background tasks are finished without interruption." In simpler terms, it uses special logic to help make certain types of internet connections go as quickly as possible, while ensuring that all the rest of the connections still complete their objective.

So while the actual speeds with EVDO over wi-fi are going to be questioned, I know for a FACT that using the Cradlepoint SIGNIFICANTLY speeds up the 3.1Mbps EVDO signal compared to just plugging the USB modem directly into the computer.

 

ehosey2: That's the speed your notebook is connecting to the router, not the speed the router is connected to the internet through the modem?

Why don't you do a test. Connected via the router, and just with the modem alone, use http://www.speedtest.net/ and report the results

 

Are we about to have a WWAN version of the epic TRIM+RAID conversation?