New Z model with Intel Core i5 CPU

4MB is 33.33% more than 3MB and that is a significant difference !

 

Now listed at PortableOne.

 

Hi Everyone, I cant seem to find the answer to my question. Is the Signature Collection $4500 Z the only version with the Full HD screen? Sorry if this has been posted already, I looked I promise.

 

The only model in the US so far. It's available as a configurable option in other countries.

 

Yep, 4.5K signature is the only with HD unless you go CTO
Elpida 2x2GB ram came on my VGN-Z as well
Upgraded to crucial 2x4GB reliable enough for on-the-set movie production
I went for the i7 620M although I usually go for the 2nd best which almost always proves to be the most efficient and best performance for money but since the CPU appears to be soldered we won't be able to upgrade like in the original Z.
Also, the 620M came as standard in my Signature Z so not much choice there either way.

EDIT: Yellowfrizbee: I think the i7 will be a better choice because even in stamina it will be more powerful without a significant difference from the i5 in terms of power consumption.
My day-to-day use entails highly processor and hard drive intensive operations several hours at a time.
There is a way to disable, I did it for my current Z and I am pretty sure I can do it for the new one as well so I can report back on the process for anyone interested. The operating tolerance for the materials involved is roughly 120-130C and the CPU is rated at 100C so operation without throttling shouldn't be cause for alarm for fear of melt-down
If all else fails I will resort to the custom pure silver heat-sink and cooling pipes like I did for my Z with the Quad-core. worked like a charm.

 

Are you a "RED tech"? Sitting behind a laptop transferring data to HD's all day long?

 

Storing and displaying vector graphics are easy enough, and I think it won't take very long at all for us to go all vector if storing and displaying is all that matters. The problem is how to get the vector graphics in the first place. Icons can go vector easily because most are human drawn to begin with. But what about images and video captured from the real world? The raw image capture sensors will always be bitmapped in some loose sense (perhaps in the future we will get fancy with multi-sized sensor elements, but I don't see this getting any fancier than the retina.) Right now converting the captured bitmaps into vector graphics takes significant human intervention. The computer vision and machine learning technology is just not there to automate the conversion of captured images into vector graphics, and it may be very long before they reach that level. Most probably the Singularity will happen before machine learning can do the kind of vector graphics conversion that preserves a reasonable amount of detail, because the human brain doesn't really preserve the amount of detail that we demand from computer graphics.

 

From the pictures of the disassembly posted here earlier, it appears the CPU is soldered.

Also, I'm curious whether the i5 and the i7 Arrandales actually come off the same line, and that the chips that come with 4MB of working cache gets binned for the i7 and the ones with flaws in the cache gets the flawed region fused off and gets binned for the i5 with 3MB of L3 cache. I have no idea if L3 cache can be fused off like that, it's possible that that's not possible at all due to hard-wired cache associativity or something. I'm more inclined to believe that the i5 and i7s come off different lines and have different transistor counts due to their different cache sizes.

 

I think there's another factor that hasn't been mentioned here (I think). DPI is not the only variable that affects readability and eye-strain. I've been using my trusty TX1 (1366x768 on 11.1" screen, ~124 DPI) for 4 years. Last year, I got a Lenovo T61p with 1920x1200 on a 15.4" screen which is more or less the identical DPI, but my eyes just couldn't take it.

I think the matte display on the T61 made my eyes focus on the matte layer, which is slightly above the actual screen layer. Or that the matte matrix somehow distorted the actual pixels so that my eyes constantly tried to focus, but never really got it right.

From that point, I just hate matte screens, and quickly changed to an external display at work.

 

Just emailed them and asked to make sure and I got this giberish back.

"Thank you for contacting Sony Support.

I'm sorry that the information you have requested is an unpublished specification. The Hardware (e.g. Motherboard, Hard Drive, Video Graphic Chipset) used in our VAIO products are custom designed and built specifically for Sony as OEM Hardware (Original Equipment Manufacturer) from various selected manufacturers. They do not have a direct retail counterpart model from which you can ascertain additional information. All product support and available Hardware documentation published for your System is provided exclusively through Sony. Should we decide to release any additional documentation, or firmware upgrades for the Hardware of the System, it will be posted on your support site.

For further information, please contact our SonyStyle Sales Division. Their staff is highly trained on all our current products and will be happy to help you make the best purchase decision. Please contact them at: (877) 865-7669.

Thank you for understanding.

The Sony Email Response Team
CHSF
Sam"

I know a few people on here will be tearing open their Zs as soon as they get em, so I suppose we will find out for sure very soon.

 

*this might sound like a 2-year old talking*

Can't you just set the i7 to run as slow as the i5 when you're not plugged in? Wouldn't that make it use just as much juice?

*don't shoot me if that sounds really stupid - I iz no computer expert*

 

It's pretty clear from the second picture on this page that it's soldered: http://plusd.itmedia.co.jp/pcuser/articles/1002/16/news077_3.html

 

Hey, dont you feel bad for asking novice questions! Im right there with you.

Well aint that somethin. Sad news, eh? Thanks for the pic.

 

Oh I didn't know that was possible .. Does the express card 34 slot offer enough bandwidth for USB 3?

 

Yes. but apparently it uses a cord between the xpresscard and the usbport.... if you won't find that ugly/disturbing then yes, it will.

 

USB 3 has almost double the bandwidth at 4.8Gbs while Expresscard 34 has 2.5 Gbs and Sata 3.0 has 3 Gbs. Of course to me it doesn't matter since the only need I have for such high bandwidth is to connect to my external HDD to move videos and other stuff around. With expresscard 34 the bandwidth is close enough to sata 3.0 that no hard drive, save for the most expensive SSD can even saturate the channel. Of course, at the point in time, nobody has enough money to buy a SSD for their external hard drive. Plus I have already invested in a esata expresscard so I have little need for USB 3.0.

 

Just came back from Sony Tower in Ginza. I could see two "new Z", one with basic config and the top one.
The full HD screen is amazing and yes it's very impressive. But it's really small, even though the icons and text are increased, it's still too small for my taste. At first, I was really impressed and then I started to feel a bit disturb by the screen.

I was really glad with the basic screen which seems perfect. I am relieved because I didn't know which one to take. I don't see myself working with the full HD in 13.

Also the quad SSD was heavier (understand less light) than the dual SSD. It was really obvious. Maybe 100 grms or something.
Not a big deal for most of the people but you can notice it, so I confirm this also.
I could see all the colours and I am going for silver. Black is nice but the aluminum effect looks really nice in silver. I didn't find it great on video but in real it's different.
This notebook is definitely very small, my lg p310 feels not extra slim next to the new Z.
And yes, as many people mentionnend, I confirm the build construction feels very good. I tried to flex the screen but it's totally different than the previous version.
I learned that the basic grey with 128gb SSD is going to be ready to buy on the 6th. In regular shop I mean.
I think I am going with the non-ssd version. Because I really think there is enough space for a 12.5mm new 2.5 HDD. The 1 TB just released in Japan .

Oh, yeah I also want to add that I abused from the hybrid graphic switch. I did it back and forth many time. It worked flawlessly.
I did this because sometime on my M17x, the switch was freezing the PC. This is not the case, it goes black less than 10sec and there is no problem.

 

I can't wait until you guys who have ordered the Z to get it home and pry it open to solve the last remaining mysteries. Yet at the same time my heart wrenches at the fact that people are going to take apart a very delicate laptop worth more than 2K.

 

Thank you for that info Natadiem! Now I won't feel bad buying the regular screen. But I'm still concerned about the i5 vs. i7 - it's the only thing keeping me from pulling the trigger. Did you notice if the higher-end model was hotter?

EDIT: Also, could you tell the difference between the regular screen and the full HD screen when watching a video? (Assuming you watched one, of course.)

 

U mean the z with 128gb ssd is lighter than one with 256gb ssd? i didn't think one could notice the weight diff .We don't know if the sony's special quad raid 256gb is faster than dual raid 128gb ssd. I think the 400$ upgrade in US for the 256gb ssd is a little steep.

 

You have wrong information, the battery is not compatible.

Also, the dock is not compatible.

 

But that's what geeks do! You might as well ask a husky puppy not to tear its toys apart.
This behaviour manifests very early in life -- a child that tears the leg off a toy probably does it to figure out how the joint is connected. Perhaps a gob of spit will make it move smoother. Yet, non-geek parents see it as destructive behaviour, when it's really creative, and should be channeled and encouraged.

 

Actually for the US, the 4.5K signature series is the only way you can get the HD screen......whether you go CTO or not.

 

Why is the Blu ray burner option in SonyStyle USA a $500 upgrade in their CTO page? Is this physically a more compact burner?

I am considering the Z to bring with me in trips but would like to switch out to a 3rd party Blu ray burner and not have to pay the ridiculous sum Sony has tacked on for the upgrade

 

According to the specs in Intel's website, i7 620m is an "embedded" processor, but i5 540 isn't. What's the difference?

 

To no end - if you use and external burner you can save money, i wouldn't recommend trying to replace the internal one, however. It might be possible, but it's likely too much of a pain to be worth saving the $500.

If course, someone might know the exact part number, and Sony might let you buy it, but then they'll still be the warranty issue.

 

@xand

Thanks for your input ...I suppose it would be too much of a hassle right now or i'll wait till someones attempts it to decide. I already have a spec'd up F11 and like the firepower on that thing but too bulky and heavy to carry around in trips judging from the times I brought it from home to office.
The Z would be perfect but as a second laptop, I will have to keep the cost at a minimum with upgrades to the ram and drive in mind.
You're right that getting an external blu ray will be cost saving though i'd like to keep the number of accessories to a minimum. I am at this point completely bluetooth enabled.
I guess if I need those features (which I don't anymore but would be nice) I will have to pony up for them

 

This is good insight, thanks.

 

Let us know if you do this upgrade.. well. um. PM me if you remember (I don't know how long I can bear to keep up with this thread! haha)

I would be worried not just because of the size, but also the power draw requirements.

 

It is soldered on and hard to replace.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...2Arrandale.22_.28standard_voltage.3B_32_nm.29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...2Arrandale.22_.28standard_voltage.3B_32_nm.29

If youll scroll down to each processor youll see that they both have a model with the Pin Grid socketed array. Likewise, they both have a BGA model too. Just for the record, what does BGA stand for? Couldnt find it.

EDIT: Ball Grid Array. Ah, ok. So now I have no idea what im talking about ! Is the i5-540m gonna be socketed but the i7-620m soldered on the Z?

 

It appears in the uk the base warranty is 2 years?

Got this through from the Sales Agentc

Dear Sir,

Sorry for not getting in touch with you on Friday, I was away from work.

Yes, I can confirm that the Z series comes with a 2 years warranty by default and as you have made a business purchase and orders accessories with that, I can confirm that you are getting an extra 2 years warranty free of charge.

The terms and conditions will be in the pack when you receive the warranty. In brief, I can only tell you that it is a return to base warranty.

Yours sincerely
Haris Mehmood

SONY UK Sales Centre

 

I don't think so. The SU core 2 duo are all soldered on but they are not embedded, the P8400 is embedded, but not soldered. I think it means if the processor can be used in a embedded system.

 

Straight from Intels FAQ page:

" Q: What does “Embedded” mean?

A: Embedded indicates that Intel anticipates shipping the product for an extended period of time. Embedded parts typically need to be procurable for 7+ years, whereas standard parts are typically procurable for 2+ years. "

Spoiler: I have no idea what above means.

On another note, I just want to reiterate how much im learning

 

anyone can know if the silver paper looking (at top left side) wear over time? need to be replace? looks like a warm wrapper err whatever it call to wrap food to keep it warm.

 

Hear, hear... (something tells me you were a 'husky puppy'...)

 

It just like like a little foil, insulation. pretty common. Why do you anticipate it wearing in this case?

 

Ok our questions are answered. Arth, if I may save you the time..

Quote Originally made by Arth1:"An embedded class CPU isn't in itself embedded, much like hot dog mustard isn't made with or comes with hot dogs, or a town car isn't for town use only. It's simply suitable for embedded systems, either due to low power consumption and costs, or because it handles multiple functions and thus saves the embedded system makers from using multiple chips.

Normally, an "embedded" class CPU will be far less powerful -- in an embedded system, you only need enough power to handle the task at hand, and you (hopefully) know ahead of time how much CPU power will be needed.
Via C series and Intel Atom are good examples of embedded class CPUs. Quite frankly, they suck for desktop use, unless you only do things where speed is rather irrelevant."

I dont think embedded neccessarily means soldered. Besides that, upon more research, Im quite sure all Ball Grid Arrays are soldered. With that information, look up intels info page for i7-620m and i5-540m again. Youll see it.

 

just if that thing need to be change to get the notebook temp cooler, just like changing the thermal paste. my notebook dont have that btw.

 

Aluminum foils are used for electro-magnetic insulation, so you don't have to worry about replacing it. Having said that, they are typically used as a last resort when certain components inside the laptop does not have a good electromagnetic insulation of its own and has the risk of interfering with other components. I am very very surprised and disappointed to see Sony needs to resort to Aluminum foil.

 

You can undervolt pretty much any CPU to get longer battery life, so you certainly undervolt an i7 so that it can get to a regular voltage i5's battery life, but remember i5 can be undervolted, too...

 

Nope, I own my own RED cam, #1333

As for the CPU, at some site I found both the BGA and PGA core i5 540M and the PGA (the one with pins) is square while the BGA (the one with solder balls that is irradiated to make the solder melt and connect to the mainboard) is wider than it is long so in the pictures posted in the most recent review we can see it is the wide one so clearly it is the BGA (making it virtually impossible to replace (you'd have to disconnect and reconnect over 1000 solder connections))
And I cannot see Sony making two different mainboard designs to accomodate the PGA and the BGA since all of the available models are available in BGA form.

Sad news people, if you can afford the i7 and think you will need more power in the future, plan ahead!
Again, I will confirm once I get my own and rip it apart (my Z is going to feel the love.... of a screwdriver)

About the aluminium foil; I think it is more of a last resort thermal insulation.

 

So if I can "undervolt" it to what the i5 would run at when not plugged in, but still have the benefits of a faster processor while plugged in, is there no point in getting the i5? Is it really that simple to make it use the same amount of juice as the i7 while on battery?

Actually, I remember playing with my old laptop's power settings once and seeing a percentage for the processor to run at while on battery (I think in the Power Management settings - I would check, but I'm using a PC right now). Is that where I "undervolt" it?

 

Would it not make sense for Sony to do the same as Apple; stocking both an i5 and an i7 model on the store shelves? Wonder then about what specs the i7 model will be? I take it the i5 will be the silver 128 GB model.

 

Another pregunta... do we have any estimate on how long the extended battery will last (with just maybe typing, browsing, maybe watching a video on the SSD)? I was going to have mine come with the regular battery and then also buy the extended battery, but now I'm thinking I should just buy the latter to save money.

 

The point would be saving $150, especially if you don't ever use that much power you are paying for something you are not going to utilize.

I mentioned earlier, I had seen the exact same debate a year and half ago when C2D Z first came out. As it turned out, P9500 had performance advantage and negligible battery life loss, the problem at that time was that it's $400 upgrade from P8600 so people were really thinking hard on how they intend to use the laptop to justify the cost premium.

And no, undervolt is different from the underclock/throttle that you see in the Windows power management.

 

I don't see why you would want to place it under CPU so the heat gets reflected back to CPU, but I guess you could do that. On the other hand, no, I have not seen any laptop that uses aluminum foil for heat insulation, it's always EMF insulation -- of coure, without proper EMF insulaton one component may actually (and literally) fry another one and create a lot of heat...

 

Awesome man, I've never seen one of you guys with a Z most of the guys around here use HP's or Macs and they transfer to cheap external platter HD's and they're always yellin when we pull the power on em at the end of the night (Not on purpose of course ) Never understood why they don't use battery backups

 

Doesn't work like that Majority of the battery drain comes from higher mhz only way would be to underclock it to run at same mhz as the i5 but if your going to do that you might as well get an i5 and save 150 bucks anyways.

 

Bottomline, we just don't know the engineering reasons for the presence of that Aluminum foil (or whatever that is) and are just indulging in a bit of armchair quarterbacking, trying to second guess the reason why the Sony engineers decided to put it there. Right ?