Old (2010) Vaio Design vs. New (2011) design

I would really like to know how many people find the 2010 Vaio design much more stylish, individual and practical (no heating issues because of fan blowing towards the screen, ports evenly distributed on both sides, etc.)??

To me the new design looks like the result of a copulation between papa Toshiba and mama Apple.

I know many of the owners of 2011 Vaios might answer forced by the drive to protect what they own, but come on guys, honestly?

I just fail to see ANY advantage of that new design - neither optical, nor technical/practical.


VS.







VS.

 

I like the design of the 2010 Z better as it has a lot more design elements than the plain 2011 Z. Again, the new Z is not "bad" looking at all. Far from it in fact, but its still not as great looking as the Z1.
But the 2011 S series look better to me than 2010 S series which were kinda dull looking IMO.

 

Fair enough

Here is how I would assess the designs of S and Z based on aesthetics only (not taking into account how unpractical the 2011 S design is!)

 

My ratings would be

Z 2010- 9.5/10
Z 2011- 8/10
S 2010- 7/10
S 2011- 7.5/10

Gracy, could you please put up some better pic of the Z1 ? The current pic really almost makes the Z1 look unattractive

 

There is currently NO picture of Z1 This said, I find it really interesting how you rate Z1 with 9.5 and S1 with 7 if you can't even distinguish them

 

Why don't you post pictures of the Z2 instead of the SA?

 

Don't mind if you do (together with a corresponding shot of Z1) Took the S13 and SA pictures just as example - the rest of the 2010 and 2011 vaio models follow the same design line more or less. Z2 has some individual eye-candies, but the main design concept is the same as SA - no cylindrical hinge, no power button on the side, flat as an ironing board, no palm-rest, etc.

Honestly - did Toshiba buy Sony? Or did Sony designers just copy instead of invent?
IMO each and every bit of individualism and elegance is now gone (with a small/partial exception of Z2). All what's left is just "another laptop among all brands".

The design is no longer a feature to consider as it was right until last year, but rather something to be afraid of, being unpractical and impersonal.

 

Z1,S1 and F1 shared the same BASIC design but beyond that all the three are very different. And not just minor differences either, some very major differences.
The Z1 overall was much more edgy and sleek whereas the S1 and F1 were comparatively dull looking.

 

^Also, than fan on the Z2 blows out the left just like the Z1 did. The screen-up airflow design was scrapped late in development.

From an aesthetics standpoint I prefer the Z2 over the Z1. I like the lighter weight, MUCH thinner profile, and general rigidity of it. I also like the power button on the top now vs. the side on the Z1.

There are tradeoffs, though. Only 2 usb ports stinks. No internal GPU and ODD stinks for some (not me).

edit: Holy crap I thought this was actually a Z thread and I now realize it isn't. Sorry Gracy I feel dumb now

 

Based purely on design:

Z 2010- 9.5/10
Z 2011- 8.5/10
S 2010- 6/10
S 2011- 8/10

And for good measure:

MBA 13" (2010/2011) - 9.5
MBA 11" (2010/2011) - 9

The MBA & VAIO Z are the benchmark for just about everything else. The new VAIO SA is a long way behind, but it's the closest competitor.

 

That's why I rate Z2 higher than SA design-wise

But I still prefer the Z1. I love the power button on the side (this was for me the Vaio "signature" making the whole design individual and different!) and I do prefer slightly rounded edges to show class...

The first non-technical association that comes to my mind when looking at both Z1 and S1 is "expensive leather note-book / diary" - it looks classy, expensive, high-class, stylish...

The first thing I associate with the new design (again finding Z2 partially better looking than SA) - "Oh.... is it just a rectangular piece of something or is it a slim TV DVD player? Or did someone put a Vaio sticker on a Toshiba?"

 

I really don't think that the new S series look like Toshiba notebooks. Though there really isn't much to their design except just plain neat lines, the design does have enough Sony-ness to differentiate it from other manufacturer's notebooks.

 

I tend to prefer the 2011 designs over the 2010 ones. In my opinion they look more streamlined and classy. This applies to both the SA/SB and the Z2. They are also considerably more durable compared to the 2010 designs. Also, the sheet battery design is genius. Both aesthetically and functionally practical.

The 2010 barrel hinge design adds considerably to the thickness of the computer (just look at the first picture....yuck), as well as making the top portion much less durable. The top portion of the chassis is not flat so the edge of the screen had to be carved a bit to fit the shape of it, which I didn't really like. Oh and the extended battery......disgusting.

Both are good designs, I just didn't find the barrel hinge design to be entirely practical and *that* appealing.

 

I think the new S series is very distinctive and attractive looking. I like the hexagonal look and full flat design and I think it has a number of advantages over the barrel hinge design from the previous generation.

I have disassembled an F12, an SR29 and a Z11 and all of them had a fairly complex assembly of small interlocking parts, some of which are prone to failure, many of which are difficult and expensive to replace down the line.

The SR29 was a classic case in point because it had buttons recessed into the hinge and the little circuit board underneath gets loose as you open and close the screen.

The Z11 hinge is prone to getting loose which requires you to tighten 4 to 6 screws on the botton edge of the display, which are obstructed by the hinge itself. To get access to them, you have take off all the screws on the base plate, lift the entire keyboard assembly out (without breaking the ribbon). This gives you limited access to awkwardly tighten the hinge screws. Oh and one other thing? If you tighten them too much, the display catches on the back of the hinge and scratches it so you have to disassemble the whole thing again to loosen the hinge screws.

I'm glad the barrel hinge design is gone because it was pretty but needlessly complicated and that makes it grotesque to me. I much prefer full flat designs like SA and Z2 which are easier to assemble/disassemble and have less interlocking parts that are prone to mechanical failure.

The SA also looks alot prettier in real life than it does in the promotional photos. In the promo photos it looks like its computer generated for some reason.

 

After looking at images of the old S next to the new S I'd have to say I like the design of the new one better. And this is coming from someone who is a fan of the barrel hinge. The reason I think the new S looks better is because the design appears much more contemporary. All of the sharp lines and creases are reminiscent of the current trend (buildings, cars, etc.) whereas the old one just looks outdated due to the curved in screen area (lid) and front part of the palmrest. I answered directly from a design perspective since I haven't used either computer in person to determine its usability (and build quality is a whole other topic but I will say I much appreciate the pgup pg down home end buttons from the old one).

I currently have my reservations on the new Z until I see it in person.

 

Personally prefer the newer S because of its modern lines and 'sharp' looks. I like the older S's smoother lines but the newer design is more striking.

 

Points well taken - but you want a Mac

 

The 2011 design looks more professional. I have seen many people here complaining about the wobbly hinge.

 

Based on style alone, the S2 looks sleeker than the S1, the S1 just feels bulky, feels bulkier than my old SZ. Now, function wise, the S2 leaves a bit more to be desired.

They could've made it to the vents tilt downwards and acts like a stand when the monitor opens. That would've help with the vents not being blocked, and from the looks of the vent portion, it seems like it can easily be accomplished, so I'm not sure why they didn't opt for that route.

 

i got a Z2 and i love the design. Why? because its just right.
Oh it's now super original. It's therefore not any special design.
It's squared. It's thin. It doesn't hurt my wrists. The plastic wont wear like the Z1s because, theres no wrist plastic.

It doesn't electrocute you like the macbooks when the battery is plugged.

Practical > design always, for me. Design only comes second.

 

I want a Mac not necessarily for its design but rather for its functionality. I won't move around *That* much the next few years so I could use a bigger laptop, and I believe the 15" MBP is the best all round 15" laptop out there. The SA/Z2 still reigns supreme in the 13" category though.

 

I would, buy a Mac when it comes with gorilla glass display and 1080p (on the 15" macbook). I prefer the vaio z2 because I like note'books' not note'clams'. having to do with the tapered shape that consume almost all of the PC laptop design. But alas, yes, I will still run windows on it. Hey, every geek has his/her own fetishes.

 

I really like the ultra-angular design language of the 2011 S, Z, and F. I think it's very modern, very Japanese (from origami to Acuras to Dragonball Z, that angular aesthetic seems popular), and very different than most stuff on the market right now. Barrel hinge aside, I thought the 2010 models looked very anonymous. A lot of companies use that very-rounded design. Reminds me of a polycarbonate MacBook, for example.

 

^ LOL! I would never in my wildest dreams attempt to conjugate a notebook design with Dragonball ! The 2010 Z was somewhat of a hybrid of the rounded design and the angular ones found this year. It's round on one end, and sorta angular on the other. However, the two just doesn't mix well together in my opinion.

 

Too funny!

 

The fact that you would ever buy a macbook completely explains why you have no problem with the indifference - just like macbook - "All for one... and one for all" ... isn't it

 

^Really? Apple has what, 5 different chassis out there and multiple configs within each chassis? I have an MBA and MPB as well as my Z's (and a few others). They are also fantastic machines, not that they don't have their own flaws as well. I figured you'd like them since they don't look like Toshibas?

 

I hate everything commercial and mediocre!

 

You know the world has come to an end when you have to buy a non-Apple product to stand out.

J/K although that may well be true.

 

How is Sony any less "commercial" than Apple or any other brand is?

 

Must say I prefer the 2010 design. We haven't seen the full range with the newer design but I love the classic "barrel" tube at the back with the power button on the side, which dates back to the TZ (I think?) - it's almost a signature Vaio thing now that the YA has, though the SZ didn't. The newer design with the keyboard set in a angular depression in the middle and squared off, single angle edges looks a bit Lenovo/HP to me. It just doesn't stand out to my mind!

As to the earlier discussion about being "Dragonbally", Sony vaio is Japanese, and I like the futuristic, almost manga look that the 2010 model had over the plain, industrial look the newer machine has. It just reminds me over overly customised rally cars, and OTT tech like in the comics! Personal choice I know but to me it makes vaios stand out from the crowd a little...

 

IMO, from an aesthetic design aspect I like the 2010 Z a lot better. I can't wrap my head around Sony positioning this new Z as their flagship with such a basic design. I like the fact that they have moved on to the future by removing the ODD and placing it in the PMD but the laptop itself looks very boring and Thinkpad-ish. In fact the color options are even worse. A purple, bronze or gold-ish colorway for the Z just doesn't work.
The 2010 had a two tone flavor to it and really looked quite nice and professional.

 

Lol, I actually like the new SA better... but in any case... lol the poll is split 50-50

 

Looking back at pictures, I actually do like the 2010 Vaio Z more than the 2011. The 2011 is just a little too plain. As for the S and the F, though, I firmly believe that the 2011 models look far better.

 

Is the picture not self-explaining?
Vaio isn't a teenage dream and less buy it "because my friend has it".
Most people who choose Vaio know exactly why.
Most people who choose Apple buy it because they don't know what else to buy.

Don't feel personally offended - maybe you are not one of "most" but the above is entirely true so you automatically get the same status whenever seen with a macbook on your lap

As already said, apple became what they are because they were different. Now instead of trying to be different, sony is trying to be alike. And this is not going to work, trust me.

 

That's one of my MAIN complaints with Z2.

As for design, cylindrical hinge was Sony's trademark for the past few years, something to stand-out from the crowd.

However, I'm not so much against new Z2, kinda like it, but it does miss some portion of individuality/brand recognition.

As already mentioned, I believe Z2 sacrificed too much for its slender design, maybe way too much. Few mm here and there wouldn't hurt anyone. Sony took out GPU and ODD, yet 1/3 or more of the bottom is occupied with battery now. So you don't get additional space inside, just a different layout. The main advantage with external GPU, is better heat dissipation, not stressing laptop itself. And I'm quite please with that approach.

Speaking of design, I like they way Z2 incorporated that aluminium hinge with Sony logo, but then they messed it up with those rubber feet sticking out of it. Not so elegant solution if you ask me. And those feet will get thinner and thinner, eventually wear-out, not to mention they will collect dirt in no time. I prefer Z1 battery feet better in this respect, still elevating laptop, but much classier solution imo.

I guess sales figures will show if Sony made right decision on Z2 (trying to make one laptop out of X and Z1).

Almost forgot, having speakers facing down (like X series), is a huge letdown for me, I know you can use headset, but for that price tag and laptop class, they should have been (much) more potent.

And lack of mic-in???? So I need to buy some converter in order to use my headset? Too many limitations if you ask me.

All said, I can't wait to get my Z2, as it's quite a welcome change comparing to my current VGN-Z590, but I don't see any reason for current Z1 owners to jump the boat.

Cheers,
Miki

 

The 2011 Z costs Sony a lot less to make, so there's a reason why it looks dull & cheap.

Don't get me wrong, it's still a premium product, but if you didn't know any better it just looks like a £250 netbook. The 2010 Z looked like it cost £2000 because it did.

 

I absolutely agree with this post. Absolutely no reason to upgrade from Z1. And apart from aesthetics and appearance which are totally subjective (the exchanges of the previous posts show that well), in terms of functionality the Z2 is a worse design. They took out the ODD, the discrete graphics card and put a lower capacity battery. If we could have a similar configuration with the Z1 it would be much lighter than the Z2. So I agree with Gracy the design of 2011 Vaios is going down the drain.
Still I would say I prefer the SA/SB than previous S which was kind of thick, but I admit that the barrel hinge is a Vaio trademark that really differentiated them from the competition.
And all these from a guy who was considering buying a Thinkpad before (for simply functional reasons) ended choosing a Z1 for pure functional reasons, and started also appreciating it aesthetically.

 

Am I the only one seeing quite poor Sony marketing with Z2?

If you remember when VGN-Z was introduced, Sony made quite an event (people could watch via streaming), telling all those great stories, achievements they did, giving first few models to some "road warrior" guys. Then there was this great interview with designers,series of impressive videos.... Same happened with VPC-Z.

However with Z2, I haven't notices any fancy events, if you check youtube, there are only few clips with new Z. I must say I'm quite disappointed. Like Sony did some minor upgrade, not a major overhaul for their 2011 flagship product.

Did you see interview for Z2, quite lame I must say....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnZj_G0xJAY

At the end, it doesn't change my perspective about Z2, simply I was expecting more hype.


Cheers,
Miki

 

^ that video doesn't work in the US

 

Just watched it. So it is "Yujin Morisawa" we need to "thank"...

Don't know what Sony are thinking... I see 2 major problems they need to deal with extremely fast if they want to keep a market share:

1. Serious Quality Control issues
2. Design concept (aesthetic and functional)

That's actually bad and shows the new design was a huge mistake! If they had kept the old concept (more or less), we would have all liked it as this is pure Sony as we know it and nothing else.
Now - only half of us would buy Sony from 2011 - the other half incl. me would not, because we know what Sony was and could have been and deny to accept the absurd change that brought nothing but limitations, commercialism and even more technical issues.

That's how I see it.

 

You are right, every time that I have had some extra money to burn in 2011... I have not once spent it on Sony's new line.

 

How is it a mistake? It's called personal opinions on AN APPEARANCE OF A LAPTOP. This is a subjective question and you are making it much more than that.

 

Sony has traditionally not been invested in market share. See the TT, X and Z series. These are notebook computers that were designed to have no competition so Sony can charge whatever they want for them. Sony has a long history of doing this - essentially creating a market for a product in which there is no competition and setting the price high. The rest is all about making their products seem desirable and feeding into consumer desire. Up until recently this strategy has worked quite well.

Even their affordable range of notebooks like the E and F series are not competitive because there has always been better specced and cheaper options out there. The F Series for example was always in the shadow of the Dell XPS16 which for a long time was the benchmark multimedia 16 incher. The F1 series rides on Sony's name and history of world firsts whereas Dell doesn't have that name.

This kind of approach works a bit like Porsche in the sense that they produce the 911 as the flagship and then everything else (like the Boxster) is deliberately under engineered so as not to steal their flagship's thunder. In this case, Sony's flagship in the subnotebook class is the Z series and it was engineered to have no competition i.e. bright, wide gamut 1600x900 and 1920x1080 display in subnotebook form factor.

In recent times Apple has basically replaced Sony as the main player of this game. Part of this strategy involves building a portfolio of software exclusives that force migration to OSX and Apple computers. I do music production and there are 3 key reasons to buy an Apple computer above everything else. None of them have anything to do with aesthetic, design or quality control, even if they feed into consumer desire.

1) OSX and CoreAudio. CoreAudio is admittedly superior to ASIO in almost every way. If you do live performance with a computer, CoreAudio is more stable. I note that my TC StudioKonnekt 48 doesn't drop out in OSX and that there is a new beta driver on the way to address Lion compatibility. This appears to be a priority for TC as their Windows 7 driver support is non existent and has been for over a year now.

2) Apple's portfolio of software exclusives like Logic Pro. This is a very popular industry standard for sound design and production. It is ubiquitous at a professional level and I cannot think of a sound production facility in this country that doesn't have some sort of Logic setup or a Pro Tools rig.

3) Retention of legacy interfaces like firewire. These days there are very few notebook computers that have a firewire port as standard let alone one with a Texas Instruments chipset. Firewire is a standard interface for video capture and mobile sound production.

Apple's strategy here took many years to develop and it is very far sighted. They have established a platform where the only real option is to buy an Apple computer if you want to produce music or work with music professionals. Price doesn't matter because theres only one choice. The alternatives leave you without CoreAudio and Logic Pro at the very least.

I haven't gigged in years but the adoption of Apple computer products in this industry goes deep and it has been this way for a long time. MBP13 and 15 are basically the standards for mobile/live sound production and they are one of the few notebook computers that can reasonably withstand the stress of gigging. I owned a Z11 briefly and it cannot withstand the kind of battering I've seen my contemporaries do to their MBP13s. I don't think its unfair to say that pretty much everyone in the computer industry has lost the sound production arms race to Apple.

I don't really like the Apple aesthetic but I know that at some point I will have to use or buy an Apple computer because everyone I know is working on them. Everyone in the industry has some sort of OSX/Logic rig. They are like the Technics 1210s of computers. Theres better specced, better built, cheaper decks out there but it doesn't matter. Before mp3 at least there wasn't a DJ Booth in the world that didn't have a pair of them.

 

See the post above yours! It explains why it was a mistake! Because ComputerCowboy's position represents mine and many others'!

It's better not to be 100% impressed than to be extremely disappointed!

If you don't understand that, I can't help you any further on that.

 

There are just as many opinions FOR the 2011 design. There are posts before explaining why the 2010 design was not a mistake, but rather not as good as the 2011.

If you don't understand that there are opinions for both sides and reasons then I'm deeply sorry that you can't see that.

 

Gracy, its now 32 for 2011 vs 27 for 2010. So actually a bit more than 50% like the 2011 design better. And that includes all major reviewers. So I don't see as to how the 2011 designs are a failure as you make them out to be.

The C series looks much better than the E series models of 2010, the YB is a looker, the Z2 looks good enough, the F looks better than most of its competition, SB/SA look more stylish than any of their competitors except maybe the MBP 13".
Why do I not see posts on the Internet by general public that they hate the 2011 Vaio design ? On the contrary, I see huge number of reviews and articles, posts that actually praise the new design.

You are dissapointed with the 2011 design and so are a few other people but that does not mean you start calling the new design a "mistake" just because a few people do not find it appealing. The majority likes the new designs and that is enough to conclude that Sony hasn't made any design "mistakes"

Trust me I have asked a lot of people what they think of the S 2011 and they all say they love the design, but the 2010 S not many people appreciate the design and nor did most reviews on it

An individual opinion is just that, an "individual" opinion and does not represent the opinion of the entire global population. And the proof is the poll result.

 

Maybe both of you did not understand my simple marketing statement!
Here it is explained as an example:

If you have 1000 Vaio fans/owners in 2010, that do accept the design as it is, even if part of them can imagine something better and keep the design concept in 2011 - then you are up for selling at least another 900-1000 pcs of your new laptop.

If you however completely change the design line and the new one is only appreciated by say 550 of those 1000 people and the other 450 are highly disappointed just as ComputerCowboy and me and would not pay for the new Vaio, knowing what it was and could have been, you end up keeping only 550 of your 1000 potential customers.

Hence - you made a mistake by drastically changing the design and thus loosing nearly 50% of your customers even if the other half is now more satisfied!

If any of you had any classes in marketing, you would know that changing anything is economically only worth it if you manage to keep most of your current customers satisfied AND add more to that! If you can't manage that, you better not touch or at least not drastically alter!

Simple.

 

I prefer the 2011 designs for the SA/SB and Z series. I was never keen on the palmrests that the previous models had. I'm not so keen on things like the display that the SA but this about design.

I understand the point about Sony possibly alienating some old Z/S1 users.
Saying that though, look at the SA/SB it appears to be a lot more popular than the S1/S2 series. Some previous owners may not buy but they have attracted a lot of new buyers and those that don't buy will move onto something else. It's the way things work.

The Z series is the flagship model and very important for Sony to make this work. I think the changes should have been more incremental and time will tell with that. Again, they are attracting new customers also but many previous customers who want an all in one may not buy it and may not purchase the SA series either.

This current line up is not for me and i'm holding onto my TT series and when it comes to replacing am thinking about another brand.

 

I think there is a marketing reason behind that. S1 was sold with only one very basic configuration exclusively by BestBuy for almost the entire period in the US so many avoided it. This is not the case with the SA/SB/SC.
The sells in USA were really limited, whereas those in Europe were very high. I almost had to get in line to get mine at the time - they were selling 10 a day and never had enough coming from Sony.