SZ Series on the way out?

Since Sony recently released two new Vaio models with the same screen size as the SZ series, I wonder if SZ is on the way out, to be replaced by the newer models?

Anyone know?

 

It has already been discontinued, it has been replaced by the Z and SR series, the Z directly replacing the SZ, sharing the S1/S2 buttons and Stamina/Speed modes for instance.

The SR replaces the lower end SZ series and the Z replaces the higher end models.

 

Doesn't mean you can't still get a good deal. Check out http://www.ecomelectronics.com/default.phtml they have some great deals. I will be ordering this one on thursday

 

But it doesnt make sense. The Z is 13.1 while the SZ is 13.3 inches. Wouldnt the SR replace the SZ exclusively?

Is this the best time to get a SZ then since they are being discontinued? will i get a faulty gpu?

Also, does the SZ have the same problem as the SR for the battery drain issue?

 

No the SZ does not appear to have the same battery drain issues as the SR.
I could not make any claims about what GPU you will receive but so far i have read of 0 people with an SZ getting a faulty GPU. It does not appear to have affected the SZ line to the degree that it has affected some other laptops like the M1330.

Now that could be because maybe most people with an SZ don't use the dedicated GPU much i don't know.

I leave my computer in integrated mode all the time it also makes the computer run cooler anyway.

I would like to see the SZ line continue but i cannot see Sony doing that. They would have 3 13.1-13.3 lines and i just cannot see that happening.
I like the SZ in terms of design it appeals to me more than the other two laptops.

Apparently some people say that the because of the Z's higher resolution and 16x9 aspect ratio that makes the screen seem the same as the SZ size wise. Of course not everybody is going to agree on this.

 

Actually, if you look into the defective GPU on the vaio thread, recently, we have seen one or two people with faulty GPUs on their SZ, so Sony's aren't immune - but they do last longer. The complaint I saw had it fail right outside of warranty. If you do get a SZ, be sure to get a good extended warranty on it.

 

^
Was this in an SZ6/7 or an older SZ?

 

Actually, scratch my previous post. Because I'm illiterate, I accidentally misread the FZ as the SZ. The two recent posts about Vaios falling prey to the 8400M card were FZ models, not the SZ model.

I also seem to remember a series of posts about a failing GPU on someone's Vaio (possibly a SZ? I don't really trust my memory anymore), but it was complicated by the fact that they were a heavy smoker, which Sony was blaming their GPU failure on.

So, I'd say that the SZ is probably not a bad buy, especially if you run it on integrated. But I'd still consider getting a very good warranty on it for the paranoid.

 

The SR can be configured with a dedicated graphics if you need a better graphics card then that has it going for it but you will lose out on battery life. The SR GPU performance with the integrated 4500HD is not far behind that of the 8400GS card.

As you know the SZ is made out of higher quality materials than the SR. The SR unlike the SZ does not come with in built WWAN. The speakers on the SZ are also better than the speakers in the SR and Z. The speakers on the SR are meant to be pretty poor. Also the display on the SZ is less reflective than the display on the SR.

The Z has an HDMI port and that is the main thing that the Z has over the SZ. You can buy a docking station for the SZ though so you can have DVI output.

The processor in the high end SZ/7 is a pretty good processor and it out performs the processors that are used in the standard SR models.

Battery life i have found to be good on the SZ71WN/C that i own but the Z might manage a little bit more. Battery life on the SR might be slightly lower than the battery life of the Z because it has a smaller capacity battery.

With the standard 6 cell 5800mAh battery I can get a fraction over 6 hours battery life with these settings level 3 brightness, wifi on, WWAN and BT of, Aero of with a flash blocker using Firefox as my browser in power saver mode with nothing else turned of. I can get that battery life surfing pretty constantly and doing a bit of office work.

I am sure with wifi of just doing occasional office work then well battery life should increase quite a bit.

You should look at the pro's and con's before you buy an SZ. If you have no need for the HDMI port and don't need a more powerful graphics card and you like the features of the SZ and can get one for a good price then it is not a bad buy.

Also look at the competition out there. The Lenovo u330 is priced quite decently and that has switchable graphics also plus an HDMI port and a 2ghz P7350 3mb processor.

About the graphic card issue i read in some article that Nvidia has said also that some 9300GS cards might be affected as well. Getting a long warranty is a good idea hopefully you will not have these problems though if you get an SZ (or any other laptop).

 

As far as I can see the SZ is dying.
(I got mine thankfully this June/July)

I actually "love" the SZ and I dare say "hate" the new line, not only because of the keyboard.
I do wonder though, why offer 16:9 in a business laptop? Most projectors run on 4:3 so what do you get from that?
The SZ has a 16:10 screen, that works fine, although on 4:3 you'll get "black bars" on the sides.
So what Sony did (at least that's how it seems to me) is kill the perfect business laptop.

 

Wow you guys are so helpful I saw on ecomelectrics some really good deals on a sz. But the sz only comes with vista business and i want home premium as i like the media center etc

I want some graphics to have aero run better and to occasionally play some older games (like counter strike), warcraft 3. I will probably be running the computer on the nvidia gpu most of the time when i am not carrying it from class or to the bus stop.

I do not really need an HDMI port, but would like an external monitor...so I think the VGA port on the SZ should be good enough?

I really do not want to buy an extended warranty...you really recommend it? I do not think i can buy an extended warranty at ecomelectrics..

I have been looking at the u330 also, but i like the thinkpad name better than lenovo. The u330 is only 1mb cache...i prefer it to have 6mb cache..i like a faster computer and no 7200 rpm hard drive How is the build quality on that lenovo? I will be carrying quite a bit and on airplanes when i go home maybe 7 times a year.\

Is the U330 or the sony sr much lighter than the t400 with the ATI graphics? Especially with the CPP code, I can get a higher spec t400 for a little bit more than the u330

 

Just by the way.
Windows Aero runs fine on the integrated Intel X3100 Chipset, so that's OK.
Some games will also run - though they do run better on the NVidia, I have to admit.
There is an issue with NVidia cards - that's why you should extend the warranty if you can.

 

The 1mb of cache that is listed for the U330 is an error that Lenovo has made.
http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLB53

This laptop you cannot buy an extended battery for it though you could always buy an extra 6 cell for it though if you needed longer battery life.

I am not sure about the looks of this laptop as to whether it is an conventional Lenovo model or whether it has got a more zany lid.
It also does not have built in bluetooth and neither WWAN.

The SR and the U330 weigh pretty much the same about 4.1X. The SZ weighs exactly 3.95lbs.

The T400 weighs 5.4lbs with a 6 cell battery. This laptop also has switchable graphics. There is a review of this laptop in the reviews section as well.

You can buy an extended warranty elsewhere provantage sells warranty packages that are priced decently.
http://www.provantage.com/scripts/search.dll?QUERY=sony+warranty

 

So the sz is 4 lbs and the t400 is 5.4 with the 6 cell battery.

Man i have an E1505 and it is so heavy with the power brick to take the class everyday...I wonder if I should go for the more portable sz/sr/x300 or the t400...but this will be my main computer.

maybe ill pass on the lenovo u330 as i want good build quality...and it doesnt look that good and I kind of want a faster processor. Id also rather have the thinkpad name :/

 

The SZ is a great computer, some people hate the keyboard, I love it.
One of my friends who cannot stand laptop keyboards was positively suprised also.
I couldn't immagine typing on the ney keayboards as they are in the SR.
If you can get an SZ at a price similar or slightly above the SR, get it, also because it is a bit more powerful and lighter.

Else, its best to go to a Sony Centre, or any other shop that stocks Sony and have a lok at both models, especially the SR though, I'd say.
Make sure you try typing on an SR's keyboard if you do, because the ones on the Z, FW, etc. are different.

(I'd recommend the SZ, just because I've got one and wanted one for years, but objectively compare them first.)

Oh, and the SZ looks nicer

 

The SZ is definitely on the way out, now that the new models (Z and SR) are basically it.

But if you want to buy an SZ, now is probably the best time - you can get the SZ750 for less than $1400 (which is less than a low-end SR). The SZ is still a very good laptop (and unlike the new models, it's been out for a while, and all the bugs have been pretty much worked out by now), and is clearly better than the SR model (IMO).

If you have the money to spare though, the Vaio Z sounds to be even better than the SZ in terms of no-compromise power & portability, although it's (slightly) disappointing that the screen is 9% smaller than the SZ.

 

How do you know that? It is still listed among the current models, on the Sony web site.

That said, I noticed that Portable One, who used to have a varied selection of SZs on their web site, to be configured in different ways, now only carries one or two models, a very limited selection. That is what got me wondering about the series being discontinued, as well as the fact that Sony has just come out with two new models with similar form factor.

Sony's site (at least as of a couple days ago) still listed SZ as a current model, still has all versions of it, that could be configured in different ways.

 

Looks like there is no configuration at that store, however. You just can buy one of the models they already have in stock.

If you purchase one from Sonystyle there is a large choice of configuration options for each model.

As I mentioned in another post, there used to be a large configuration choice in buying an SZ from P1 as well. Their choices have dropped considerably, but there is still some configuration possible, while the company you cite allows for no configuration at all.

 

It has been removed from SonyStyle Japan, as other regional SonyStyle websites, we must still have some stock left over which has to be cleared out.

 

I'm thinking of buying a SZ 780 from Sony Style, configured to order, including the 200GB 7200RPM HD, the T9300 CPU, and the most expensive accessory-- a three year accidental damage extended warranty.

An expensive purchase, which I normally would not undertake right now, but it looks like these will not be available much longer. (And I need the cardbus slot, so the new models would not do.)

Does anyone have any inside information, regarding how much stock SonyStyle USA has left of these units? If one waited a couple weeks longer, to see if the prices went down more, is there a good likelihood that they will then have no more stock? Or, do they still have a lot, and since most people will want the newer models, will they soon probably start drastically cutting the SZ prices, in order to clear them out?

Anyone have an idea?

Anyone know of any coupons currently applicable to SonyStyle purchases, to reduce the final price further?

Any discounts for teachers?

 

agree, and not to put down (or being jealous to) any of the SZ cousins. I got my hand on playing with the new Z series, and do come away with the conclusion, that i had made a good choice. Now mind you, i was in the shop ready to swap the SZ with the Z. And yes, the keyboard and its keys is simply cool, for me, like feeling playing on a piano.

cheers ...

 

The SZ is still a good buy, especially for students. The CPU is still good and will last you a good 2 years or so.

Get it cheap now.

 

Not true. On SonyStyle, the default OS is Vista Home Premium. You can pay extra to get Vista Business.

I don't know why you think the only place to buy is from that eco... company, which only has pre-configured models, whereas on SonyStyle (perhaps other places as well, I don't know) it is highly configurable.

 

????
If you go to Europe every SZ will come with Vista Business.
Customization not available.

 

I want to buy at eco place because it is a lot cheaper plus free shipping and no tax! But, I would want ultimate or home premium.

 

Do you need that Media Centre this badly??

I know that Vista Business is able to instal games...

 

Well i like media center and like the photo viewer thing. Business...i just dont use the fax and all that.

 

You can deinstal the Fax bit.

Also, Business has a photo viewer.

Give me a good reason for not wanting Business?

currently you've got 1: The Media Centre (which I think is horrible, resources eating, slow and unstable)

I think also that Ultimate will run too much junk...

I think unless there is a specific reason for Ultimate, Business is the best Version.

Home Premium has got too few functions.

 

Not sure that it's cheaper, I'd have to compare the exact same configuration.

IMO, better to order the notebook configured exactly as you want it. Probably cheaper in the end, than having to purchase things later, to get the configuration you want.

SonyStyle, Amazon,and many others have free shipping. Many retailers, depending on where you live, sell with no sales tax. (I don't know about SonyStyle and sales tax. Probably depends on where you live.)

With a no-name retailers like that one you keep plugging (probably not an authorized Sony dealer) I would be concerned about getting gray-market merchandise, a knock-off, etc.

 

I'm an XP user, so not really very familiar with the different flavors of Vista. I have XP Pro installation CD, so if I buy an SZ, would probably install XP as dual-boot, while keeping Vista to try out.

If I order SZ from Sony Style (USA), Home Premium comes as default. It costs extra (I think $50) to get Vista Business instead.

Are you saying that all the home editions come with no fax capability? That sucks! What other advantages does the Business version have? (I think I read somewhere that it has better backup capability. I use a third party backup program though, which is probably better than either.) What else?

 

I don't quite know.
I once found a chart which said that Business had a few "bits" that Ultimate didn't have, I even think it was a Microsoft one.

I once said (not in here), with XP home you get few processes but can't control anything, with XP professional you can change every setting but your computer is slow as hell.
One of our XP home laptops runs I think less than 40 processes idling...
I was hard pressed to get my XP professional below 60...

On Vista I'd say Business is best as its meant for Business, as the name says really.

I think if you can say what you really want to do with your laptop somebody could point out the pros and cons.
By the way, I don't know about the fax. Just one person said he doesn't need it, so you can deinstal it.
Also, its odd, but my Vista Business on my laptop is able to instal the windows games that it shouldn't have.

Still, if you ever plan to use your laptop for something professional, I'd say get business.
(Unless you need the Media Centre)

 

Any ideas on this?

Good idea to wait a few weeks (to purchase custom configured from Sony Style),and see if there is a major price drop, as they become desperate to close them out? Or, is there a large risk in doing that, of their running out of stock, and not being able to get one?

If one buys now, and a couple weeks later sees a much lower price on their site, does anyone know, will Sony Style refund the price difference if called?

 

There is no way to tell.
They could have, say 1000 today, and tomorrow a company could have bought all of them.
The SZ is better than the SR as far as I'm aware. it's also tried and tested, so if you want one I suggest you get it quickly.
Also, I think some places have sold out already.

 

Sometimes i did like doing a slideshow with my pictures but i don't miss it that much and there are substitutes out there if i want to use a decent slideshow viewer. I was always getting rid of Vista Media centre in my processes before with VHP and VU.

Btw, i couldn't see this point made before about Vista Business not coming with an in built MPEG2 DVD decoder so you will need to buy your own if you want one. I bought a cineplayer one and it cost me £8.69.
http://www.roxio.com/enu/products/cineplayer/vista/overview.html

 

Two really good freeware photo viewing apps, with slideshow capabilities, are irfanview and picasa (the latter from Google, also good for putting albums on the web).

I doubt the one that comes with Vista is as good as either of those free apps.

I don't know what else is in Vista Windows Media Center.

A minor annoyance, but I think it is screwed that Windows Media Player (in XP too) and some other media players (Quicktime, for example) won't play DVDs without buying an extra plugin. Watching DVDs is a pretty basic usage of any media player, and it should come included. (And yes, even though WMP is "free". Actually it's not free, for even if you didn't buy the OS, part of what you paid for the computer was for the OS, in which the media player is included. Not important though.

Are those the only two features of Vista Windows Media Center-photo viewer and DVD capability? Not much, really.

 

Wait a minute.......

You say that Vista Business is best for any professional usage. You might be right. However, you do not give any reason for that conclusion!

You write that Vista Business is best for business, because that's in the name! That's funny! Do you believe everything advertisers tell you? Because they call it "business", it must be better for business?

Again, I'm not disputing the fact that Vista Business may be better for business. I really have no idea, and have not used any Vista myself yet.

Just saying, I do not see any reasoning for that conclusion at all in your post, other than saying that the name says "business". Names don't really mean anything Detlev, other than marketing.

 

maiki: I'm sure they didn't just throw the name "Business" on there for no reason at all. While it's true that just because it's called "Vista Business" doesn't in itself make it suited for business, it's a very good indication that Microsoft adjusted the features to suit businesses in that edition.

There should be comparison charts showing the difference from Business to Home Premium, etc., if you want to know the specifics.

 

I know that I saw a chart some time ago.
On that Vista Business did not have things like gams (oddly mine can instal them later on) but had extended networking and security features compared to Home Premium.

 

The chart's not hard to find. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/compare-editions/default.aspx

Basically, -Media Center, +System Backup and Restore, +Windows Fax and Scan, +Remote Desktop Host

Finally, the games are on both editions, just not preinstalled on Business.

 

Thanks Lithus, that's a reasonable chart already.
I sa mine maybe 1-2 years ago... I think it went into more details.

But that should give people an idea.

Another aspect of business products - they won't get overloaded with stuff that you don't need. (And get some other stuff that you may need)

 

Maiki thanks for the recommendations for the slideshow software.
The slideshow capability is a feature of media centres photo viewer.

It also has a pretty decent music library as well.

WMC also allows you to turn your computer into a DVR as well and record live TV a bit more of what it can do is explained here-
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/mediacenter/getstarted/recordtv.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/features/media-center.aspx

The only other thing that Vista Business is missing is Windows DVD Maker and Movie maker.

If you think that you are going to miss these things then it is probably best for you to get Vista Ultimate.

Cyberlink also have a pretty decent alternative Media Centre called Power Cinema but you will have to pay for that you might be able to get it cheaper of Ebay though. There are also free alternatives online that are not that swish.
http://www.cyberlink.com/multi/products/main_12_ENU.html

 

Business has Movie Maker.

 

My Vista Business can do Slideshows in the Photo viewer....
At least show them from pictures in a file.

 

i actually thought that SR is replacing CR, and Z is replacing SZ...
SR and CR are more in common than SR and SZ...
but yeah, SZ is on the way out...and probably CR as well...

 

I am aware of that as well but it is very basic and a bit to basic for me. You cannot add music or anything else like that i think also and the application itself just looks a bit basic but for some people it will do if it meets their needs.

As for the movie maker Lithus i wasn't aware that Vista Business came with movie maker.
These are the differences between all the editions.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/compare-editions/default.aspx

 

Hm, but it doesn't go into details... (The table)
anyway.

I just need that programme as a picture viewer as it uses very little resources (the standard picture viewer).
The bein in the EU I got Adobe Photoshop Elements with it, I myself got Office home and student...

And if, big if, I had any interest in generating a slideshow I would use Power Point anyway.
The only time I used Windows Movie maker was when I changed the format and scaled down little films I found on aircraft for my PDA...

Else, how do you use it?

 

Do both home editions not contain the System Restore capability at all? No fax and scanning ability?(All those features were on all versions of XP.)

 

Sony< laptops come with their own system restore capability.

 

Vista Home Premuim, Ultimate and Business all come with Vista's in built system restore as standard. I don't know about Vista Basic as i have never used that but i imagine that would have SR built into it as well.

 

Back to the main topic:

I was thinking of purchasing a Sony SZ 780 premium, with T9300 CPU, 200GB 7200RPM HD, etc. from SonyStyle USA, which had it on their website with full configurability a few days ago. I was not yet completely decided on all the options, was busy the last few days, etc.

Today I looked at Sony Style, and the SZ is completely missing! Not listed at all on their site! So, it went from full configurability of all the different sz models, to not one sz model listed at all, in just a few days! Amazing! Do you think that means they have no stock left at all?

I can still find a few retailers that have SZs, but not the 780, mostly the 750, I saw one 760, all pre-configured for the most part, without the different options. I didn't see any with the 9300 processor, but all with the 8100 processor, I think.

What are the differences between the 750, 760, and 780?

Is the T8100 much slower than the T9300 CPU?

Anyone know if there is still a way to get a 780 fully configurable?