Sony i5 Z: Customized configurations outside of Sony Style, is only Signature Collection 1080p, how often does Sony refresh?

Hi everyone,

Been having mini wars in my mind pitting HP Envy 15 vs MacBook Pro vs Sony Z. Right now Sony Z's got the edge and my interest, and so these questions:

1. I'm interested in getting the Z with the 512GB SSD. Is ordering this configuration only possible via Sony's site? At first I thought that to be the case, but then I saw in the several hundred page Sony Z thread, links to Jr.com and Amazon.com where they have the Z on sale in various configurations, but no 512GB SSD. I would like to save on sales tax, which is substantial for this system, by not buying directly from Sony, if possible.

2. Is the "Glossy Carbon Fiber Z" of the Signature Collection the only Z model with the 1080p screen? Or will other countries outside of the US have it as an option on the regular models?

3. Is Sony anything like Apple in the relative predicatablity of how often they update their product lines? I ask, because I'd benefit from a rough sense of when the next refresh for the Z line might be based on company history. The Z is perfect for my wishes, except that it lacks the new NVIDIA Optimus graphics switching technology. So for example, if Sony is known to refresh regularily, I could wait in hopes Optimus will be implemented in a few months. But if it's more likely they won't refresh until next year, I'd still be happy in getting it as is.

Thank you for any insight.

 

I may be able to help a little on the first question. You might try calling Portable One and make your request to them. Seems like they customize as I remember and from what I have read they are trustworthy.

 

2. In the US the 1080p screen is only for the most expensive signature series model. In Europe for example, you can get it with any CTO model.

3. In Europe it is 3 months (and I suppose in the USA as well).

 

1. Agreed on checking with PortableOne. The probability of Amazon or other places that have a pre-config unit with 512GB SSD is very very low.

2. For now, you want HD in US you have to get glossy CF lid or vice versa. Every region has slightly different models. Japan gives you the most options.

3. They generally refresh every 3 months, but this kind of refresh usually only involves CPU, HDD and memory update and customization of lid. What you are looking for will be a full update or even replacement (like the old Z to new Z) of the model, that you will have to wait for at least 1-1.5 year.

 

buddy1065 & Skyshade, thank you for mentioning PortableOne. It's new to me and certainly looks very promising. Can't entirely understand how it works just by looking at their site, so I'll definitely give them a call tomorrow.

How interesting, and sad, for me. Thanks a lot for that info. Indeed I see it on the Sony UK site. I went through the customization process, choosing specs to align with the US 1080p version as close as possible, and then added on the 1080p screen option. Final price comes to $5,810 USD. About $1,500 more than the US version. I want that 1080p but I can't go on welfare yet.

I was certainly hoping I could get the 1080p somehow. But even if cost were not so prohibitive, I wonder if I could run a foreign PC in the US without power converters (forget how that works) and if some internal components may not be compatible with US hardware (perhaps differing frequencies with WiFi, Bluetooth, etc).

From what you know about Sony's tendencies, would a refresh to the CPU/HDD/RAM/lid be anything particularily substantial in just 3 months time? For example with the CPU, the new Intel chips just came out, so I assume at least regarding that component there couldn't be anything to renew? And what do you mean by lid refresh?--new colors and materials?

Why do you feel that employing the new NVIDIA Optimus graphics switching system would be more involved? Is it because it would involved changing around a great deal more hardware inside?


Thank you everyone. You've given me a lot of incredible info in just a few replies.

 

CPU & HDD refresh definitely depends on whether the manufacturers release any new prodcut, so for the new Z we probably won't see any HDD update till it is fully updated/replaced. I didn't pay a whole lot of attention of the current Intel Core i road map, but Intel usually does a small clock speed bump every 3 months. As for the lid, yes, usually a new pattern and/or a new color will become available -- still the same material though.

For the Optimus, from what I know it involves different hardware to enable the software driven solution, so I will not hold my breath to that it made its way to Z's refresh.

 

Thanks, Skyshade. Great info to consider in anticipation of my purchase.

 

Someone mentioned Geek Stuff 4U a while back on the Z thread. You can CTO just about anything you want and ship to the US.

http://www.geekstuff4u.com/sony-vaio-z11-series.html

 

I'm slowly catching up with that thread. I did see that and when I tested it out, getting the i5 with 512GB SSD and the 1080p screen, it came to nearly $4k. Similarly, with Conics.net, the price comes to about $3,700. The 1080p upgrade cost is only $60. If only Sony Style US offered that I could get the same system for about $3k.