Sony SA Series Discussion Sony's next new 13.3 laptop

Hello!
Somebody has info when release SA a series?

 

the bezel will be an issue for me, since the laptop is black the sides will be stick out like a sore thumb in the day, less so when it is darker, my FW has pretty thin bezels on the side and this is where it bothers me on the SB.

besides the camera is no HD, which would have been nice.

but in the end is has to be the screen, need a premium screen

 

I agree with the screen, if they would just up the viewing angles i would be a happy man. Until then i might replace the screen if i get the possibility.

 

Bezel edge is thicker than my old SR but considering the design as a whole, I've learned to accept it. Agree with the vertical viewing angle needing improvement. I thought I was buying an HD camera with this. At least it has the Exmor sensor. Wasn't expecting Z screen quality at this pricepoint so no disappointment there but am glad it wasn't as bad as the BB S.

 

I don't really understand... Is it just me ? When I'm in front of a 13" laptop, I don't care about viewing angles... I'm just (alone) in front of it !
It's not a 50"+ television...

Brightness is another story...

 

Vertical viewing angles are more important if you don't share your computer while watching movies because it determines how much flexibility you have with the screen angle before colors become washed out.

Horizontal viewing angles are more important if you often share the screen with a friend to watch movies, for example.

 

id like it that i can have the same colors on the whole screen vertically, wich is not possible with these view angles.

 

Yikes... I was starting to lean towards the Sony SB. Now I might have to think about the ZX310 again.

Expensive, but tempting.

 

i've owned a few notebooks with poor vertical viewing angles. the colors are rarely accurate and sometimes, one slight movement of your head and the images get washed out. even if i'm just watching netflix by myself.. you could see how certain parts of the screen get that negative effect, especially when there are dark backgrounds. and for sony, who's known for some great looking panels on their tv's.. i think it's a bad move putting a display like the one on the SB at this price range. i'm not expecting Z quality display, but the SB is almost the same in quality as the YB, which to me, is not good.

 

When I'm watching movies on the sb, I find myself readjusting the tilt angle after leaning back a bit. I don't mind the horizontal much since I value privacy. Although yb is almost same quality, its only 11in. I haven't seen a laptop screen better than the sb but less than the z. Is there?
Btw I don't see the software for toggling the performance. Maybe bios?

 

Good news for Canadians

The Spring200 $200 off coupon for CTOs has been extended until April 31, 2010 as per their website.

Should be ample time for reviews to surface, units to appear in stores for perusal and the SB CTO to appear on the Sony Canada website.

 

Weird, the preconfigured model has a 6490 rather than a 6470 for graphics.

 

Most interesting. The 6490M scores a 3dmark06 of 5602 which is actually rather decent, whereas the 6470M scores 4476. The scores are from notebookcheck but it does serve to illustrate a ballpark figure. I'm surprised how much better the 6490 is than the 6470.

 

VAIO SA is still a spruced up consumer grade notebook pc. Lenovo T420S is a dedicated true business machine.

So in deciding which machine to get, one needs to understand their intent and what they are doing with the unit. The Sony is a pretty well styled unit with faster consumer class video.

The Lenovo T420s is a serious business machine built for business.

Both units will be extremely pricey with the i7 2620M cpu. The Lenovo preconfigured preorders is coming in at over $2000 USD and I predict the VAIO SA will also be a very high price point, somewhere also around $2000.

The way I look at it, is if one needs these units, they need to be able to sustain an ROI of $2000 where they will be able to get lots of productivity from this unit where it would more than pay itself over for the $2000 approx initial cost.

 

OK. I don't use my laptop for watching films/videos.
Other usages, other requirements...

 

It starts at ~$1000 and only gets extremely expensive after you add 256GB SSDs.

 

From experience, there are only two things that will jack up the price hugely, and that's the i7s and the SSDs. I've never found the i3s/i5s inadequate, and it's cheaper to add your own SSDs/higher capacity HDDs afterwards. Generally what happens is that the higher end GPU option is no more than $100 more(IMO it's well worth it), and since you can't easily upgrade the GPU easily through aftermarket upgrading, I just go for the higher end GPU option and that's it.

 

The sb is back as cto on Sony uk website 2-3 weeks delivery. It's a real tough decision but I guess now to cto a vaio in the uk probably means not getting your laptop until July.
I emailed toshiba about the r830 and email resonse the next day was it would be launched in uk by end of April would not have the sb graphics or backlit keyboard but would be lighter and with better warranty so I guess if the price is right having already compromised on a premium product might be an option. Or how dell announce their new mythical thin and light model.

 

I checked the Samsung out tonight at MS as well. The screen was slightly above average at best. (Current MBA Kills this screen IMO) It was not saturated and viewing angles were, again average. I played with it for about an hour trying to eliminate the washed out appearance without luck.

The Air and Z have way better screens for the coin. This Samsung 9 was a disappointment. I also was a user of the original Air and had issues with peripherals and those damn drop down doors.

It was solid, no flex as you have reported.

To each their own.

 

I'm looking to replace my old VGN-FZ31S (quit satisfied with it, but it's getting old, and I have to send it for the GPU/MB replacement) with SB.
But i would really like some comparison of the SB to the old FZ or something similar (screen quality, fan noise, temps), before I order.
I would ofc check it out myself, but I have nowhere near a sony store (not even in neighbor countries), so that's not an option. VAIO is a rare breed around here...

If someone has any info, I would appreciate it.

 

Are you sure about that? Reviews say that the screen on the Samsung is amazing.

 

Maybe display models aren't shipping with that 400 nit(matte) screen? Which wouldn't make sense as it's supposed to be among the best of the best.

 

Samsung 900X3A definitely has better screen than VAIO SB. Keyboard area looks tacky though.

 

photo viewing and or editing, skype, even basic web browsing..

but hey.. if poor viewing angles are ok with you, that's cool. others like me just find it an annoyance that the color saturation are not more consistent

if brightness is more important to you.. it wouldn't matter if a panel can achieve super brightness.. if the viewing angles are poor.. then what's the point, since all you'll mostly see is a washed out screen

 

New Macbook Airs do not have the dropdown doors anymore.

 

Are you sure it was not defect or maybe it had bad settings ? I was astonished by the viewing angles and overall vibrancy of the colors. Most of the reviews state the same things as well.

 

The viewing angles could be poor, but why do I need to look at the screen 100° from the left or the right ? I sit just (too?) simply in front of it and with such small screen sizes (my current 11.1" up to 13.3" or a little more), there is no real "viewing angle"... It's not the central point of the house to look at videos/TV shows...

I think that seeing lots of screens (or TVs) at the same place over-exagerates the qualities/defaults of each of it...

BTW, I have not seen any real SB yet.

Philippe

 

I saw a Sony SB with i5 processor and 512 video memory today at the Sony store. The sales person said they were still waiting for the high end SB's. Everything looked good on the notebook except for the display. It was washed out and dull looking. No vibrancy or crispness. It looked worse than the one on my present CW with 1600 x 900, which is dull as well. For the price one would think they would provide a good display. Sony used to have some of the best displays in the business. Not any more...Apple notebook displays blow them away. I visited the Apple Store right after and the difference is extremely noticeable. I may have to rethink ordering one of these.

 

I've heard a lot of mixed views on the display of these and the small group of owners are claiming the screen automatically changes brightness.

Are the screens just trash screens with a semi-matte finish or is it possible that the screens have dimmed themselves in a store and look a bit dull/faded?

 

When I was in the Sony Store, I took the brightness all the way up. Also opened the Catalyst Control Center and changed the color/vibrance settings to see if I could improve the color. The result: it still looked bad and viewing angles were horrible. I hope the higher end has a better panel because I have one on order. Could be it was just the store lighting or possibly I am not used to matte displays. I don't want to cause anyone to change their mind with this notebook, but I was kind of disappointed. Other than the display, it looked pretty nice.

 

Oh man... this is not good.

I went out today to try and see one of these myself, but no luck.

 

i was mostly referring to verticals (see my previous post). keep in mind that there are a lot of people out there like me who move around with their notebooks. maybe yours is more stationary, and in which case having subpar to decent viewing angles won't be much of an annoyance. but for the ones who take theirs out of their homes a lot and use the notebook in different areas/lighting/surroundings, having good viewing angles help a lot considering when outdoors, you're also fighting glare.

here's an example of another real world use: just last weekend.. i was using my notebook at a gig we played where on a song, i was using it to loop a background sound during the intro and then at the end. since i had to cue the tracks at certain points (while also playing guitar), i had to move quickly and having a good viewing angle helped me locate the buttons and track sections on my screen easily.

^this is also what i did when testing out the SB, as i was hoping that the screen was just at a lower setting. another thing that disappointed me was the bit of keyboard flex.

 

I received my VPCSB1AGX/B (which is supposed to have a hybrid drive). I think Seagate momentus XT is the only hybrid drive in the market.
However When I check my HDD specs, it was showing "toshiba MK5061GSY".
I am not sure if this is a hybrid drive. Is that anyway of knowing ?

 

Hi again

I don't really have a grasp as to what a "premium" or "subpar" display is, and since I can't go and see a unit in person as of yet, I was wondering if anyone who has seen one might be able to compare it to the screens that they put in Dell Studios, or Acer timelinex's or even those HP dv consumer grade laptops with the horrid black glossy shiny covers? (sorry for the insane run-on sentence btw).

I have a feeling that a lot of users here may be used to the best (as in MBPs VAIO Z series and others). I'm not looking for MBP amazing, but if the screens can't best a 3820tg for example, I may need to reconsider the SB.....

 

rezendevous youve hit the nail on its head, many people around here with full hd premium displays and older Z's looking at the SB as a possible replacement, it's not. Power wise yes, looks and weight maybe at a stretch (compared to z) but full premium product with flashy screen no. remember the base price is £750ish not £1750....


I had a HP DV2200 with glossy screen, this is equally as good (or bad if you prefer ) but with the benefit of a brighter screen as my DV was a bit washed out when it came to backlight.

The screen on the SB is equivalent to every other basic screen you see on everyday laptops in your local electrical store..

I sit with it on my lap and browse the web, its fine for that. Sure no wow moments but its ok. If you like to do the can-can around your laptop while browsing the web it may not be suitable. Also anyone who is used to a premium display would probably think they have got cataracts and hate it prefusley.

Sure i'd prefer a premium display, but ive already spent enough on the SB without paying more and waiting for a SA.

 

i also had this dissapointment. Thought from reading around i was getting an XT but also have the Toshiba. Its a bog standard 7200rpm.

 

Well it's clearly a mistake. Why don't you call sony and explain to them a little about the many ways in which what they've done is illegal?
Maybe also get something valuable from them in return and as a thank you that you didn't call the authorities first?

 

My actual order only said 500GB 7200rpm, it was only from forums etc that i got the idea the 7200rpm drives they were using was the xt's,

bloody forums eh

 

To some the Toshiba 7200RPM 500GB drive may be a better drive though because it is known to consume lower power than the Hybrid. But they did say hybrid in the specs with a 4GB SLC.

 

can someone with VPCSB1AGX/B the run this?

CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting

its a program that determines what your pc has, if this SB uses a Z68 chipset, then there is no market hype, if not you have been fooled

 

I must say I am really tempted to switch to this lovely VAIO SB. Might as well wait up a bit, till like late May/early June, so that all the glitches and errors of the first version are fixed.
Went to the local Sony CENTRE, and I must admit I fell in love with it, even though the screen is no comparison to MBP's, but so is the price to be honest.

 

Its a HM67 chipset

 

I thought as much, too bad since they have been fooled

 

Could you enlighten me what is the difference between HM67 And Z68?

I know about the port issue with the HM67 but why have SB owners been fooled with the HM67?

 

The thing here is that when they bought the pre configured version, there was a line in the specs that said the HDD was a hybrid, 500g and 4g of nand (SSD memory), which the only manufacturer of such drive is seagate, and the only drive that is available atm is the momentus xt 500g.

Now if it was the ZM68 chipset, it would have some interesting features, like:

Overclocking capabilities (current only in the P or QM series)
Switchable graphics (current only in the H or HM series)
4g of nand slc (enterprise class SSD memory)

and that is an interesting feature. aside that basically you have a choice between what you want with the HM and QM chipsets, due to them being based in older tech, the ZM68 is a major revamp instead of an increment

 

Premium is what you will find on a VAIO Z that costs between £1700-£2200+.

Sub-standard is what you find on low resolution budget notebooks.

Acceptable and realistic quality for a machine that costs just £900-£1200 is what the SB has.

 

the Z67 is the desktop chipset btw. mobile chipsets have 2 letters before number

question: where did you get the idea Sony was going to ship laptops with ZM68's?

EDIT: wait... is there even such thing as the ZM68? i thought QM67 was after the HM67's... the 68 means a different socket so Ivy Bridge procs right?

 

mobile version is ZM68, the QM67 was designed with the Pm57 and Qm57, the HM follow the HM 5x. The ZM68 is the ''true'' SB chipset, which basically dont follow that many clues as the older versions do.

The ZM68 is going to be released for laptops, since this is a professional/home user pc, I thought that they would give it a go. The question is if sony is going to launch any ZM68 equipped machines, since this is a high end chipset.

 

It only shows it for VPCSB1AGX/B

On the spec sheet on the Sony Style website, it shows

Hard Drive

* Capacity : 500GB + 4GB SLC Hybrid2
* Speed : DDR3-1333MHz
* Technology : 7200rpm Hybrid
* Type : HDD Hybrid


The Toshiba drive doesn't meet the specs, call Sony for an explaination.

 

Someone safe this before Sony removes it

13.3" Core i7 Laptop | VAIO® S Series Laptop | VPCSB1AGX/B | Sony USA