New Z model with Intel Core i5 CPU

I thought he was covering the ambient light sensor with his finger to get the auto backlighting to come on. It's the larger dot to the left of the numlock/capslock/scrolllock lights, which are just to the left of Assist.

According to the Sony B2B site:

Need help? Just click "Assist"
In the upper left corner of the keyboard, the VAIO® Z Series features an "Assist" button. This button launches Sony's own VAIO Care ™ software, an easy-to-use program that lets you tune-up, maintain, update and troubleshoot your VAIO® PC with just a couple clicks. It's like having your own IT department built into your notebook.

Not something I need an actual dedicated button for. I'd rather have proper volume/mute buttons.

 

To me, if that's the assist button, that's plain silly. Hope the button is programmable to launch other more often used items.

UL

 

Dizzying Z ad from Sony. Nice in black.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnTWipoBAT4

 

Posted back at the top of pg 33....

But yea anyhow, I hate these pre rendered ads..tells you nothing new
It just makes me wonder if when you drop it, does it suddenly levitate and cause ripple effects...

 

Yes, it's that awesome.

 

I hope the graphics card will be 512 at least, the machine looks really sexy and also with that backlit keyboard you can't beat it.

 

I thought the new Z will have 1GB VRAM according to a few sources.

 

Looks good that Sony Z, lets hope the pricing is reasonable

 

I wonder if there are any bottlenecks when VRAM for GT 330M is 1GB. If there are, 512MB and 1GB may not make a lot of difference.

I remember hearing about 8600GT's bottleneck in the MacBook Pro. That bottleneck causes little difference in performance between 256MB and 512MB.

Let's hope that is not the case for the almighty Vaio Z.

 

What do you mean as bottlenecks? Having a one gig card is worth it in a little machine and its happening more and more in little machines.

 

Noticed that they slightly changed the keyboard layout from the current Z, the Return key is now much smaller.

 

Here you go (click to enlarge):

 

I don't know about that laptopmag picture that showed that the silver model had a firewire port. May be Sony was still making up their minds at that point about the design.
I was looking at the Engadet photos and the silver one in that has clearly got a usb port where the firewire port was showing in the other picture that i posted.
Also, in this picture you can see that it will have an express card slot. http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/01/sony-z-2010-01-07_17-04-10-rm-eng.jpg

 

Thank you for clarifying this.

I inserted my 16GBSSD ExpressCard in the ExpressCard slot in the Z890 @ SonyStyle Store and my 16GB SDHC in the SD card slot, and was pleased to see that both mounted flush with the chassis and therefore could be left in place for storage/during transport. I forgot to try/ask and did not have a current MS (?PRO/PRO DUO)- do these likewise sit flush when inserted in the separate MS slot on the Z? I am really liking all these extra built-in locations to tuck files away off the primary drive on the Z, especially if dealing with the smaller storage capacities of a primary SSD.

I really disliked how the SD card sits halfway out on the MBP13(!), in addition to it being the only built-in expansion card slot available on MBP13. It is nice however, that MacOSX can be installed on SD (and ExpressCard SSD on MBP17) and that location used to boot the system- I have not found anywhere yet where that ability is possible for Windows OS?

 

It's been possible on Windows pretty much forever, it's just that no one really talks about it 'cos there's not much point. I used to boot Windows from a floppy disk! Windows 7 also has some cool new tech like VHDs.

 

Thanks and thanks!

I'll keep it updated (link below).

I agree, I updated my list. I think we can be 90% sure there's no firewire, but for those who need it there is the ExpressCard slot.

Updated list:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=5714582&postcount=333

 

Keep in mind 1 GB isn't always better than 512 MB. The amount of ram is marketing number, just like MP for camera's.

If the card really is the 330m, I would expect 1GB to be better than 512MB.
If the card instead is the 310m, I would actually prefer it to come with 512MB.

Quality 1GB ram modules still get used in the middle and high end cards, leaving the crappy quality 1GB ram modules for the low end. The 512MB ram is less used in the higher end, leaving better quality modules for the low end.

 

Thanks! That takes off one minor quibble I was thinking I might have to live with.

 

i can assure anyone here in doubt of the headphones that if sony decides to include anything from mdr ex300 +, ur going to have an orgasm listening to those headphones.

sony headphones, if they give the good quality ones, are very good headphones i must confess. only side downside to the high end sony headphones is that u need to 'burn in' the new ones for a good few days before theire true potential is apparent. 13.5mm driver headphones...insanely good. i have an mdr ex500lp, worth every penny.

 

do we know when the new Z will be released? Sony's ces doesnt seem to have the Z listed as yet.

of cos i could have overlooked it.

 

some people here who have implied to have insider info in the past have said it would be available for sale last week of Feb/first week of march.


I hope they didn't make it at the very least any harder to swap out the hard drive in case we decide to upgrade. it's already a huge PITA to swap the current one vs most other hd's. although i'm worried with that with their quest to make it thinner and lighter it might just become that much harder

 

ty!

hope it comes with the 3g modem slot....not sure whats it called in the states, wan or something.

 

On a youtube video a sony-guy said that it will be avaliable in march, maybe some weeks sooner or later.

 

I think they call it WWAN in the US

 

One guy at the CES stand says "late spring":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzRVC608k2A

However, our trusty man nixon said:

And this CES guy says "target of March", and "Q1 2010":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN3ACR70

 

Sorry about that. My Mistake. It looked like he had pressed the "ASSIST" to get "Auto" light to come on.

So was it at the end of this month then that EU was getting the New Z? Two more months for USA. I hope I can last.

 

It'll come with 3G WWAN (possibly standard), but in the US it will be Verizon wireless. This is still mostly CDMA, so there might not be a SIM slot. I say "might not" because Verizon are rolling out LTE this year and that does support SIM slots.*

On the SZ and old VGN-Z there was a SIM slot in European models but not on US models.

*I don't live in the US, so US residents please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

New Z configs, Intel Core i5 and i7 models (sorry if it was already posted):

VPC-Z11GGX/X Sony Vaio Z VPC-Z11GGX/X Core i7-620M 2.66Ghz (Turbo Boost 3.33Ghz) 4096MB 256GB SSD BlueRay DvDRW+DL WiFi NIC Bluetooth FingerPrint Webcam Microphone 13.1" WXGA Xbrite nVidia GeForce GT 330M 1024MB Dedicated Windows 7 Professional (Made In USA) Premium Carbon

VPC-Z11HGX/X Sony Vaio Z VPC-Z11HGX/X Core i7-620M 2.66Ghz (Turbo Boost 3.33Ghz) 4096MB 256GB SSD DvDRW+DL WiFi NIC Bluetooth FingerPrint Webcam Microphone 13.1" WXGA Xbrite nVidia GeForce GT 330M 1024MB Dedicated Windows 7 Professional (Made In USA) Premium Carbon

VPC-Z11JGX/X Sony Vaio Z VPC-Z11JGX/X Core i7-620M 2.66Ghz (Turbo Boost 3.33Ghz) 6144MB 512GB SSD BlueRay DvDRW+DL WiFi NIC Bluetooth FingerPrint Webcam Microphone 13.1" WXGA Xbrite nVidia GeForce GT 330M 1024MB Dedicated Windows 7 Professional (Made In USA) Premium Carbon

VPC-Z11KGX/X Sony Vaio Z VPC-Z11KGX/X Core i7-620M 2.66Ghz (Turbo Boost 3.33Ghz) 6144MB 512GB SSD DvDRW+DL WiFi NIC Bluetooth FingerPrint Webcam Microphone 13.1" WXGA Xbrite nVidia GeForce GT 330M 1024MB Dedicated Windows 7 Professional (Made In USA) Premium Carbon

VPC-Z11LHX/X Sony Vaio Z VPC-Z11LHX/X Core i7-620M 2.66Ghz (Turbo Boost 3.33Ghz) 8192MB 512GB SSD BlueRay DvDRW+DL WiFi NIC Bluetooth FingerPrint Webcam Microphone 13.1" WXGA Xbrite nVidia GeForce GT 330M 1024MB Dedicated Windows 7 Ultimate (Made In USA) Premium Carbon

VPC-Z11MGX/X Sony Vaio Z VPC-Z11MGX/X Core i7-620M 2.66Ghz (Turbo Boost 3.33Ghz) 4096MB 384GB SSD BlueRay DvDRW+DL WiFi NIC Bluetooth FingerPrint Webcam Microphone 13.1" WXGA Xbrite nVidia GeForce GT 330M 1024MB Dedicated Windows 7 Professional (Made In USA) Premium Carbon

VPC-Z11NGX/X Sony Vaio Z VPC-Z11NGX/X Core i7-620M 2.66Ghz (Turbo Boost 3.33Ghz) 6144MB 384GB SSD BlueRay DvDRW+DL WiFi NIC Bluetooth FingerPrint Webcam Microphone 13.1" WXGA Xbrite nVidia GeForce GT 330M 1024MB Dedicated Windows 7 Professional (Made In USA) Premium Carbon

VPC-Z11PGX/X Sony Vaio Z VPC-Z11PGX/X Core i7-620M 2.66Ghz (Turbo Boost 3.33Ghz) 6144MB 384GB SSD DvDRW+DL WiFi NIC Bluetooth FingerPrint Webcam Microphone 13.1" WXGA Xbrite nVidia GeForce GT 330M 1024MB Dedicated Windows 7 Professional (Made In USA) Premium Carbon

VPC-Z11QGX/S Sony Vaio Z VPC-Z11QGX/S Core i5-540M 2.53Ghz (Turbo Boost 3.06Ghz) 4096MB 256GB SSD DvDRW+DL WiFi NIC Bluetooth FingerPrint Webcam Microphone 13.1" WXGA Xbrite nVidia GeForce GT 330M 1024MB Dedicated Windows 7 Professional (Made In Japan) Premium Carbon

VPC-Z11RGX/S Sony Vaio Z VPC-Z11RGX/S Core i5-540M 2.53Ghz (Turbo Boost 3.06Ghz) 4096MB 512GB SSD DvDRW+DL WiFi NIC Bluetooth FingerPrint Webcam Microphone 13.1" WXGA Xbrite nVidia GeForce GT 330M 1024MB Dedicated Windows 7 Professional (Made In Japan) Premium Carbon

VPC-Z11SGX/S Sony Vaio Z VPC-Z11SGX/S Core i5-520M 2.40Ghz (Turbo Boost 2.93Ghz) 6144MB 256GB SSD DvDRW+DL WiFi NIC Bluetooth FingerPrint Webcam Microphone 13.1" WXGA Xbrite nVidia GeForce GT 330M 1024MB Dedicated Windows 7 Professional (Made In Japan) Premium Carbon

VPC-Z114GX/S Sony Vaio Z VPC-Z114GX/S Core i5-520M 2.40Ghz (Turbo Boost 2.93Ghz) 4096MB 192GB SSD DvDRW+DL WiFi NIC Bluetooth FingerPrint Webcam Microphone 13.1" WXGA Xbrite nVidia GeForce GT 330M 1024MB Dedicated Windows 7 Professional (Made In Japan) Premium Carbon

VPC-Z116GX/S Sony Vaio Z VPC-Z116GX/S Core i5-520M 2.40Ghz (Turbo Boost 2.93Ghz) 4096MB 256GB SSD DvDRW+DL WiFi NIC Bluetooth FingerPrint Webcam Microphone 13.1" WXGA Xbrite nVidia GeForce GT 330M 1024MB Dedicated Windows 7 Professional (Made In Japan) Premium Carbon

 

So that's it. We are now pretty confident to say that the new Vaio Z uses GT 330M, which means it can play Crysis smoothly at medium settings. Drvec, where did you find this info?

 

They weren't. Thanks for the list
Some things that stood out to me:

- They all have the GT-330m, with 1GB ram!

- The /X models all have the core i7-620M, and are made in the USA
- The /S models either have a core i5-540M or i5-520M, and are made in Japan

- Only /X models have bluRay drives, and not even all of them!
- /X models have at least a 384GB SSD
- /S models start with a 192GB SSD


Weren't they supposed to start with 128GB SSD's?

The VPC-Z11QGX/S comes closest to what I'm looking for, which is:
- Core i5-540M 2.53Ghz
- 128GB SSD (even just 80GB has proven to be plenty)
- bluRay
- 4096MB (or 6144MB if the price is good)

Nothing maxed out for me.

Edit - Found the source:
http://www.todaydeals.com/dealers.htm
Go right to the bottom for the Z, the last three are old models, the ones above that are the new ones.

 

i hope they're good quality ssd's. would be a shame to spend so much and have to replace the ssd's they come with

 

The only reason for being classified as "made in the USA" is since in the CTO (Configure-to-order) models, the "final assembly" (putting say a 8GB RAM with i7-620M combo with say Windows Ultimate) happens in the USA.

In other words, every single one of these parts (base computer and components) are "Made in Japan", while the components based on the choices made by the users, are put in before shipment, by a person in the USA.

I realized this a while back, when I bought my Subaru Impreza WRX STI. The Impreza line was entirely/exclusively assembled in Japan (100% components from Japan). However, if one orders for any of the accessories (when placing the factory order), what happens is that when the cars land in the USA from Japan, they add those accessories into the car, at the port (the "accessory" also comes in the car, with the car). The car then is classified as "Made in USA", just because a $100 component (made in Japan) was added onto a $35,000 car (also made in Japan), thus technically making its "final assembly" as happened in the USA.

Bottomline, the Z line is all "Made in Japan", just that when doing it via the CTO process, the final mix-and-match (of the Japanese components) happens in the USA.

 

Anybody know if the RAM that comes in the Z is DDR3-1066 or is it DDR3-1333 (like in the F-series) ?

 

I found it on the same page as the VPC-Exx from rehangohar77s thread.

So far as I know, it is still an unknown. I added it to the list of questions in the pros/cons post ( http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=5714582&postcount=333)

 

Thanks. If I were to make a guess, I am pretty certain that it will be DDR3-1333. The reason being that at the time of the current Z's release in mid-early 2008, they debated about putting in DDR2 vs the more expensive DDR3 RAM into the Z-series and they decided that the Z's premium billing merited DDR3, even if it raised the cost. Its companion model, the SR-series, of course came with DDR2.

I will wager that the current Z will come with DDR3-1333, if not something even higher.

 

The difference will make very little or no performance difference, so I wouldn't worry too much either way.

 

Is time to make robbery to buy the new Z!

I don't want to know how much will cost this one:

"VPC-Z11LHX/X Sony Vaio Z VPC-Z11LHX/X Core i7-620M 2.66Ghz (Turbo Boost 3.33Ghz) 8192MB 512GB SSD BlueRay DvDRW+DL WiFi NIC Bluetooth FingerPrint Webcam Microphone 13.1" WXGA Xbrite nVidia GeForce GT 330M 1024MB Dedicated Windows 7 Ultimate (Made In USA) Premium Carbon"

Is so tempting to upgrade to the new Z, I already have a Z(first version) and I am very happy with it. But...the new one is really a great laptop. If Sony found the way to keep the heat down, fixed the battery drain issue and mantained the same battery life in Stamina Mode...we have a winner here! Damn you technology, every year you must change laptop.

 

New youtube video, litle longer then those before. Enjoy!

Code:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN3ACRW*f70

(t instead of * since forum doesn't allow acronym w*f even if it is just part of query string )

 

Ah, I linked that in post #376 and it didn't work... that's why. Thanks.

 

That's way I didn't find the link when I was checking if video was already posted. Cheers.

 

How can the Z and CW have the same graphics card, The CW costs like almost $1000 less...

 

I believe the Z gets 1GB of Graphics memory, while the CW gets only 512MB.

 

The Z weighs 1.4kg's the CW is 2.4Kgs. Imagine the engineering and materials required to achieve that. Also the Z will run faster processors at the price and come with a SSD drive.

 

It appears all three available CPUs are in the 35W region for TDP
http://ark.intel.com/Compare.aspx?ids=47341,43544,43560,
Intel details 38.5W as the entire systems maximum TDP but that's using the embedded GPU.
compared to a P9700 of 25W that means more heat (and higher consumption) so Sony'd better have a kick cooling solution for the Z.
I know I placed a QX9300 in my Z11XN/B a while ago and it could double as a blow-dryer. Then I went down to a reasonable P9700
Since we want the maximum performance's TDP, let's say 35W for the system sans the GPU and add to that the 23W (or thereabouts) for the nVidia 330M and you get a whopping 58W
So yeah, it may play Crysis at medium settings but for how long...?

 

Exactly. Taken in isolation, you might find a feature that is common between a premium priced model and a lower-end model and then consider that as a big gotcha.

However, one has to consider the package as a whole and when one does that, it is very clear why the Z costs what it does, while the CW sells for a lot less.

 

Are these numbers not applicable when the machine is going flat out ?

These newer generation processors of course have the ability to shut down cores when not needed (scalability), and scale up and scale down the capability and thus use more/less power when needed. Right ?

In other words, they could very well be using LESS power overall than the prior versions, depending on what kind of applications you run through them, I suppose ?

 

I recall that the current 13" MacBook Pro uses C2D with 25W TDP but not 35W, which is probably why 2.53GHz is its best processor (P8700). I wonder what Apple is going to do. Unless Apple also improves its heating solution, the 13" MBP will likely fail at 58W TDP for shoehorning the nVidia GT 330M to match the new Vaio Z. The tables have truly turned, Apple!

 

You're quite right. And the 'made in Japan' is probably also partially made in some other country. Creates nice opportunities to avoid some import regulations, be cheaper off in importing, create benefits by producing locally, etc.

I was more concerned with the availability though. There was mentioned earlier some CTO options are only available in Japan. After finding out the source is an USA based webshop, this becomes less relevant of course


About power usage, indeed, they could consume less power.

Apple could well use a combination of core i processors and ATI 55xx or 56xx cards. These Ati cards are expected to be more energy efficient than the GT 330m and perform better to boot.

 

Just a quick note on the cheaper competition. The UL30JT (out in 4-8 wks.)

If you spend 1/2 the cash, ASUS will have an Arrendale i7 640UM (overclocked 33% above the standard intel speed) and switchable intel HD/310M graphics. 3.1 lbs with 4 cell (6hr bat), 3.7 lb with 8cell (12 hr bat).

So obviously Sony has raised its game with the new Z, and its a far superior machine in every regard. But if you want to know what you can get for <1K at about the same size with switchable graphics ...

IMO the Sony Z is worth the premium, but the ASUS probably is a better choice over the S or Y if you are looking for a less powerful and econemical machine.

 

THANKS Drvec, Your AWESOME!

I'm assuming this is the model no# for the Z that starts out at $1899.99 USD? Can you verify which model is in Black and which is Silver? So 192GB SSD is the minimum offered. I was leary with 128SSD, but these Specs. are still pretty good at $1899.99, unless I'm wrong.

Which expresscard will fit the new Z?