Sony SA Series Discussion Sony's next new 13.3 laptop

the 330m in the z is the ''underclocked'' version (beaups is going to scream), it has the same power as the gt 325m, the 6630m is going to be more powerful indeed, by not small margin, something around 20%+, I dislike notebookcheck immensely on that part, since it has some really strange values for certain cards.

About the screen, Im really getting old, and I will simply say, stop comparing a 2000 dollar laptop screen to a 1350 one. The screen is clearly better than the average notebook out there, basing this on the SB, for one its got a semi matte finish, the colors are better than any acer screen that I saw, to add injury to insult its hard to find a screen with that res (SA screen), in a 15'', let alone a 14'', only the Z has that kind of res in a 13''.

No the Z screen is about 500+ bucks retail, so its probably a 300-400 cost to sony, and that is the 1600*900 screen, its not a penny saving choice, its a market defining choice, you have the S series for a niche, and that niche is not the Z niche.

If you want to compare screens Im just going to say that the Z screen sucks compared to the dreamcolor 2, does that comparison makes any sense?

 

as i am no screen master, how would you say the sa, sb screens compare to a mbp 13?

 

So it seems the concept laptops shown at CES were definitely the Vaio SA. They had the chrome accents and the more consistent black colour finish. Just went back and looked at some of those first hands on vids. Not really feeling the chrome touchpad buttons but I like everything else. Feels like we've been waiting on the SA forever

 

Good question. I would like to know as well as I currently have a MBP but am looking to switch over to the SA.

I am about 25 miles from the nearest Sony retail store so the earliest I can play with the SA is this weekend.

 

I know that the screen debate is probably getting very old for some people, but I have yet another question. I have been using a VGN-SZ760 with a screen res of 1280X800 for the past 4 years. I would like to know how does the screen on the SA compare to that computer? And does anyone know what type of performance one can expect to get out of the ATI 6630m video card? Would I be able to play Steam games for example?

 

what steam games? source games? it will play fairly well.

about the res you are going to notice a big difference

 

Yea mostly source games, TF2, Portal2, L4D2, etc... Would they be able to run with Max settings? I could get pretty close to max with the 8400M I have in my computer now (that was before it stopped working). I understand waht you are saying about the res, but what about display quality? is the new SA screen considered a 940P screen compared to the current Z's 1080P screen?

 

I'm also switching from MBP (late 2006 model), so I'd like to know how much worse is SA's screen. If it's really noticeable then I'd be annoyed with it if I'll ever buy one.

 

SA & SB are 16:9 matte screens with a lower vibrancy & contrast. MBP's 16:10 panel is glossy (with very annoying reflections) but has high contrast & and high levels of brightness.

None of them are in the same league as the Z.

 

MBPs have 550-650:1 contrast ratio while Z with 1600x900 screen has ~825:1 (FHD on Z13 is 650:1). If SA is completely the same quality as SB (138:1), then SA screens are most likely enough worse than MBP screens to become bothersome for someone coming from a MBP.

 

MBP overall, has a better display quality (color/contrast) - but lower resolution. im pretty sure..don't quote me on it.

 

it's hard to say (i don't have a MBP)...i think this is one of those things you'll have to judge for yourself (go to Sony store or wait for official reviews with pics).

 

oh man, if those numbers are correct than SA screen is worse than I tought.

 

Yes it makes sense when you have a 630 USD notebook (acer 3820TG) with a screen of similar quality as the 1350USD vaio. I will certainly make a review comparing both screens, but we have 2 ppl saying SA's is same poor quality as SB's and now we have the contrast ratio of the SB which is patetic (under 200). I believe ACER has more contrast than that.

And no, the cost is not 400 USD, it's between 100 and 200 USD, probably 100 using that such low quality panel.

 

Just called and cancelled my order for the VAIO SA. I took a chance and ordered another Refurb Z series from the Sony Style store...hopefully there are no defects and the fan won't make noise. Otherwise, I will be returning that as well.

The VGN Z really spoiled me, I can't go back to a laptop with a lesser quality.

 

There will always be some fan noise from a laptop as thin at the Z. It only becomes annoying when the fan ramps up to high speed as it can be quite loud.

 

its not necessarily the fan noise I'm worried about...its the CPU buzzing: YouTube - ‪vaio z13 fan noise‬‏

 

Hi,

What do you guys make of the SA battery decision?

It seems the SA battery is built-in & not user swappable.
Since the battery is the weakest part - this will require a service vist & cost to replace the battery.

Thoughts,
Cheers,
T

 

i didn't see any refurbished Z's on the Sony site - you have link? how much they going for?


Also, anyone know how hard it is to upgrade ram and harddrive on the old Z? Do you have to take off the keyboard?

Lastly, if you get a Z with SSD in Raid..i think you lose TRIM. But if you get Z with 1x128GB...it SHOULD have TRIM..unless Sony used some crap SSDs for the old Z. Anyone verify this?

 

Just search VPCZ1290x and VPCZ1390x. They are the only models left on the Sony Site. They are going for $999, but i was able to snag it for $899 + tax with my EPP discount.

I sincerely hope there is no CPU buzzing on this laptop. Ive been ordering and returning laptops from Sony since May 8th.

 

Yes ... the Acer 3820TG's display has 141:1 contrast. But, that is only slightly better than the 138:1 in the SB. Nevertheless, if I was paying $1,500 for a notebook with a conventional drive, I would want a far better display, even if the resolution was HD+. I think the HD+ display will still make the SA sell well, but Sony could have completely eliminated any competition from the Acer Timelines by adding a decent display. It looks like there will be a 3830TG I5-2410M/GT540M sold in the states for $779. It should show up on discount stores for > $750. If the display on the Acer actually has better contrast, I think (once the throttling problem is fixed) the Acer will still sell well in the US.

So far, I have been able to get through an entire notebook refresh period and have not been seriously tempted to replace my 3820TG with anything on the market ATM. I thought the SA was going to make me rethink that. I liked the Lenovo X1 but the lack of matt display and the low resolution put that to rest. All I have to do is get past the new Z's release and I can probably make it to the first quarter of next year with this Acer.

Bronsky

 

I thought the competition throttled themselves to death.

You are going to buy a new Z Bronsky you have no way out!

 

The truth is Sony are saving the best quality screen for the Z. If you look at SA competition you have the Toshiba 835, lenovo x1, Acer Aspire 3830TG, Dell Vostro 3350 there is no 13" with the same features as the SA of a much better screen.
The new macbook might have a slightly better screen at lower resolution but is also £250 more lacking discreet graphics, only 5400rpm hard drive, fingerprint scanner and is heavier.
A preimium screen would no doubt have canabalised sales of the Z especialy given its new 2 part format.

 

Well I believe since the new Z is a new proposal, with 2 units, it will not compete with SA, it seems to me that the new Z and SA are very different products, which doesn't happens between the current Z and SA. That said, I believe sony would just be more successful if they didn´t save in screen quality in SA and have used a better panel, at least of the same quality as old z 1600x900 one.

 

If SA had such a good panel still at that price range, sony would have nothing to sell its Z with.
I wish there was more competition in that segment :'(

 

if I was to buy a new Z I would do it because of it´s 1kg incredible low weight, because of it´s proposal of "play games only docked" -> vga on dock, and not only because of it´s screen quality. I mean, if someone wants everything in one pack those would buy the SA. If wants incredible mobility, 1kg, would buy the new Z. So I believe if SA had an "above average" display, like the old Z 1600x900, people would still buy the new Z because it will serve their needs of mobility better (1kg is 1kg). But that is just my point of view. What I think will happens is people not buying the SA (and sony looses money this way) because of the poor display quality.

 

Anyone that is considering the Z vs the SA, why not at least wait a few weeks to find out exactly what this new Z is going to be? I really like having a 13.1 screen and if the new Z will maintain that, I'll most likely get it. I've only had my current Z for 9 months and I'll be honest in saying that I really need a better GPU. I really like to play games on the go and I have to OC it 30% just to play SC2 on medium settings with decent smoothness. If the new Z's external GPU is no bigger than a wallet and the combined weight of the new Z + its external GPU are about 3.5-4lbs, I'll buy the new Z. I know damn well that if I buy the SA right now, I'll surely regret it the second that new Z hits shelves.

 

I'm disappointed that the SA display has the same color/contrast quality as the SB but I got an email from Sony saying that my SA is shipping today.

To me the screen is not a deal breaker, they're relatively easy to replace/upgrade later if a better one becomes available on the aftermarket (if it's anything like the other laptops I've owned). I'm on my Sager's 2nd screen, the first one cracked after 3 years. It's a 5 minute process to change screens.

 

I´ve never considered that option, is it possible to buy the exact screen with vaio/sony logo and everything and better specs? Well, let´s say it´s possible, it would still cost a fortune I think.

 

does anyone remember if the Sony Vaio CA (1600x900) screen quality was the same as the SB/SA?

 

Hmmm... see, on my SR I gave up looking for a screen replacement which is why I'm looking for a new laptop lol. Maybe Sony has gotten better, but I doubt it. With various other people helping me, the best we could find was a $300 on eBay, but the shipping would have been quite a bit. Sony wanted $600 for the panel alone. Are other laptops standard enough to "upgrade" to a different screen? I know they're not hard to take out, but how do you go about ensuring the upgrade would fit if it's not the exact same? I have to say this is an intriguing idea, but I have this bad feeling about Sony being "sub-standard" in this department.

 

Where do you find better screens ?
I tried to have a quick look for my TimelineX, to find that quality was rarely mentioned, and it looks quite hard to find the same connector/location/panel size.

I was talking about actual products, not fantasies.
There is no new Z yet. You don't sell something that's not out.....

 

Been a LONG time lurker (my favorite way of doing things). I just ordered this configuration:

Customization Details
Microsoft® Office 2010 Starter (Click More Info for details.)
4GB (4GB Fixed Onboard + 1 Open SDRAM Slot) DDR3-SDRAM-1333
Blu-ray Disc™ player Standard capacity battery
Adobe Bundle (Free - $448 value)
No Engraving
500GB (7200rpm) hard drive
Intel® Core™ i5 2520M processor (2.50GHz) with Turbo Boost up to 3.20GHz Norton Internet Security™ 2011 (30 Day Trial)
No Mobile Broadband Built-In
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit
13.3" LED backlit display (1600x900)
Silver
No Fresh Start
AMD Radeon™ HD 6630M (1GB VRAM) hybrid graphics
Intel® Wireless Display technology

Looking forward to having such a powerful, compact notebook after using a HP MIni 311 almost exclusively for 1.5 years.

A tip for anyone ordering. I tried to get the student discount over the phone without having to pay for the service plan. they weren't able to do it, but when i expressed my doubts, they kicked in a 5% promotional discount (probably as a last ditch effort). saved me 75 bucks!

Also, does anyone have any updated info on when the Newmodeous (I think that's the company) caddy is going to be available for the S series?

 

So what was the total on your laptop and warranty? You got a 5% in total? im not sure exactly what you mean by "without having to pay for the service plan" - free warranty?

 

To receive the student discount, you have to have an .edu email address or some form of verification, which I have, but you also have to buy a service/warranty plan. no service plan means no student discount.

I placed my order over the phone so I could haggle the price a bit (receive student discount without purchasing a warranty plan), and while I wasn't able to get 10%, i did receive 5% off.

My total was $1420.00 before taxes, they applied the 5% discount at this stage, and then added my state sales tax to that. Ended up at around $1473.00

Hope that helps,

Stradevarius

 

weird...i put an online order for a SA, with a student discount for 10%...NOT using an .edu.

Any reason why you don't want a warranty? Don't think it's worth it?

 

I think there are other ways to qualify for the student discount, as you have shown, and the .edu email address is just one of them.

regarding the warranty, I think it is sort of a scam (overpriced). I definitely think it is a good investment if you can afford it (for those who worry), but some people are more prone to accidents then others, and over the years of buying gadgets and electronics, I've maintained an excellent track record, so I don't really bother.

To tell you the truth, one day some gadget of mine will probably break down, but with all the money I've saved from opting out of warranties I can buy a replacement and have plenty of money left over. Plus, as I've seen in the Droid X forum, so many people return stuff when in facts it isn't broken.

IMO, just not worth it.

 

Re: comments about comparing a $1,350 laptop to a $2000 laptop. The base price of the new Z is said to be $1,999, the new Z will be SSD only. The SSD really drives up the price. You really should compare like for like. The base price of the SA with an SSD is $1,649 so like for like it's $350 difference. I'm not sure if the base model will come with WWAN if so then the difference is $300. Smaller laptops also command a premium.

The SA is not cheap. The model i want is £1,5XX/$2.5XX. That's a lot of money for me to put down on this laptop. For that sort of money i want a good display. Still, i will wait and bit and and not purchase the first couple of revisions.
I would like to CTO a better display but i don't think i can remember Sony ever introducing that for models down the line.
Depending on how the new Z does Sony might want to be a bit more aggressive with the SA.

edited to add:
It's interesting that with the F series the vaio premium display is only a £30 upgrade over the vaio plus display.

 

although 350 in a 2000 base price wont command that kind of premium, its still 15%+ increase in price.

and I still firmly believe that the niches are different, much like the old Z vs the old S, they were geared to different markets, however due to the same format, they competed sometimes with each other. They were still in different niches.

the problem here is that sony put some premium features in the S, like the dedicated gpu, and the higher res screen, not to mention the SSDs options. thus blurring the line.

However looking at the new Z, the differences remain substantial to avoid extreme overlapping killing the profit of the higher end model.

this reminds me of the eternal itanium joke, there was a difference in price and performance against the xeon line, however now that the line is blurred, people are again cracking more jokes at the ''titanium'', however its still going to be used and is a very profitable cpu, the line up netted 4bi last year.

So while the power should be about the same the form factor is a it changed, gearing towards the ultrabook concept, however with the premium that we know sony loves.

What we could say is that the blurring of the S and the Z series might have happened due to the success of the last year Z, if somewhat limited or even helped by the great price tag

In brazil the last year z12 can be found for 10.000 Reais, since the currency conversion is basically 1.6 Real = 1 Dollar, we can see that 6250 dollars aint that cheap, however the base SB can be found for 3000 Reais, meaning 1875 dollars. Much cheaper, Im still waiting to see when they are going to put the SA in here, it should be around 4000 reais = 2500 dollars

However, prices in Brazil isnt what people discuss in this forum, but prices in the US, and a 15%+ premium, is still a hefty sum of money, interestingly enough that premium nets the same value as a SSD from intel

 

A french review: Sony VAIO VPCSB1S1E/W

Contrast ratio: 209:1

 

Here's the 138:1 review for comparison: Vaio VPC-SB1Z9EB Subnotebook - Notebookcheck.net Reviews

Average between these two is still low (170:1 - rounded up).

 

The price differences between the SA and Z are exaggerated if you need larger hard drive capacity. An SA with 8gb and 256 ssd is £1759 while early website pricing put a similar Z at £2200 so £440 but the SA allows you to add third party drive so with the crucial m4 would be £1469 so £731 less.
The z will have more powerful graphic and much better screen and the option to be much lighter if you only use part of it, but overall it's nit the product that I want and certainly not at that price so the SA is the best option available but not perfect.

 

How are you guys getting the student discount? I suppose I could call in, but requium's post sounds like it's available online. The Sony education store is showing the same $1599 price for the VPCSA2CFX that is available on the general site. I only see the discount on the non-SA/SB models.

 

All you have to do is go to the "Education Store" on the sonystyle website and create an account.

https://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wc...nForm?storeId=10151&langId=-1&catalogId=10551

 

FYI -

Vaio SA Display Screen Video (Original) (from user gtrips07)
Vaio SA Display Screen Video (Flipped) (from user gtrips07)

Though the videos above show a general sense of the screen/display quality, viewing angles, colors, and contrast on the Vaio SA - video quality should be taken into account. Also, a bit of video quality was lost on the "Flipped" version, hence why I uploaded both.

 

Has anyone who has seen these machines in stores noticed the problem with the hinge that struck the SC and SB where it isn't strong enough to keep the screen in place when jostled, even slightly?

 

Today I received a great news... my SA shipped 4 days ealier, it was supposed to ship 14 and has shipped today. Estimate delivery is 15. I´m very happy

 

Ok, forum members are starting to get their laptops, some have. I'm going to go ahead and close this thread.
Discussion should continue in the owners' thread.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...-sd-series-owners-thread-254.html#post7585264