Sony's Ultrabook coming in April

Interesting, so these are upgradable, at least on CPU, ram and storage. That's good. How about a higher res screen and backlight keyboard upgrades Sony? You can really see the disparity in bezels in those side by sides, but the 13" doesn't seem all that bad the more I think about it (especially, since I should be able to do my own upgrades ). Battery life is key, if I'm carrying an extra pound (0.4kg) then I should be getting 7+ hours.

 

Sony claims that battery life will be 9 hours. But knowing Sony they usually overestimate the battery life and so best wait for actual tests. Interesting thing is that both the T11 and T13 use the same battery pack. Therefore, you will get more battery life in the 11" version (provided all configurations are the same).

 

So pretty much as I thought: Effective bezel areas are on a par with the Bendybook on the 11".
Question is of course if it's more durable than the Bendybook as a result, or just the same.

 

Pardon the impertinence, but if the T was actually a new Acer with the same design and specs, would we even be talking about it?

 

^We'd be taking bets on whether it overheats or not.

 

$10 it does - but awesome frame rates before it shuts down

 

Yes, and we'd be saying how sharp it looks. And how overpriced it is for an Acer

 

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Seems like every manufacturer is behind Samsung right now. I was hoping the second generation of ultrabooks would have an ample range of choices, but HP announced their upcoming units yesterday with no noticeable improvements so I am starting to believe that won't happen till gen 3 (Haswell). Of course, HP doesn't necessarily go after the high end market. The T is Sony's 1st iteration, but you would have hoped with their experience in making light laptops (and their delay to market) they would have done a little better. Still, if I can get a decent res screen and backlight keyboard upgrades, I might get the 13" T over the S9 if the price was right (read significantly lower), even though it's 40% heavier. The battery life and RAM would also be a consideration (the S9 is fairly poor, and may not have an 8GB option). I was hoping to get something with only 1 achiles heal, but so far they all have 3 or more.

 

The Samsung 9 isn't an Ultrabook - it's an Almost-Uberbook. (The Z2 being an Uberbook)

The Series 5 is their Ultrabook and it's not a particular standout.

 

Ok, the point being, the S9 is the best notebook with a 17W processor. The Z is the best light weight notebook with a 35W processor. Neither is perfect, but close. I think the definition of what an ultrabook is, is part of the problem with all the other efforts to be honest. That's why they all have 720p displays, because that's the spec minimum. Except ASUS, but they always push the envelope.

 

Is the T11 the successor to the TT?

 

Ultrabooks are the next generation of stupid Netbooks. Don´t expect any high end devices. When you want high end, go for Z2, Samsung S9 or Mac Air13!

I think for the pirce point of about 700 Dollars the T11 is looking really cool, because I like the retro design. For me the design is much better, than cloning Apple devices like ASUS or Lenovo do. And come on... I will never go to get an Acer...

 

The Envy 14 Spectre ultrabook also has a 900p screen.

 

But that's like a mega-uber-boat anchor.

 

I was just saying that the Zenbook isn't the only ultrabook with a 900p screen. If you don't like the Spectre for other reasons, that's cool, I'm not saying it's the best ultrabook for everybody, just saying that it's another ultrabook with a 900p screen.

 

After all is said and done, if you can carry an extra lb. and are handy with a polishing cloth, the Spectre 14 turns out to have the most ports, the greatest degree of upgradability - both extra RAM DIMM and 2 mSATA slots - quite decent audio and a superb screen (better than the curent Zenbook 13's; best of all present UBs.) Of course, it also costs about $300 more. Still, a pretty classy piece of work all in all. It gets my vote for the notebook I most want on my coffee table.

 

Yes, because we all want notebooks on coffee tables

Which, coincidentally, is what happened with my Adamo Thirteen - which weighed the same - most of the time. The only thing I actually carry around everywhere that weighs that much (in fact a little more) is the X201T and that's only because it's a convertible, and I complain about it all the time.

Seriously, 4lbs without an optical drive? That's NOT an Ultrabook. It's a Bloatbook.

 

Yeah, that's where the "ultrabook" moniker gets murky. It weights 0.5lbs more and is not much smaller than the S which has an optical drive, but the display is supposedly nice. I'd just as soon get an S so I can watch bluray, if only they'd fix the stupid ventialtion. Seems unlikely.

 

Now that HP has a whole line of UBs, maybe they'll upgrade the Spectre 14 from "Ultrabook" to "Notebook" and then it will be light for a 14 incher.

EDIT: check out this most appropriately titled review in notebookcheck.net"

A Beautiful Accessory or Cutting-Edge Technology?

Spoiler: they gave it an 87!

 

Unless a CTO model shows up, I wouldn't bet on any higher res screen or even different colours. I originally planned on replacing the FW with another sony but it might not be the case with some many new UB coming out, especially like this one

yPC Watchz NECAd—Ê999gˆÈ‰º‚Ì13.3Œ^UltrabookuLaVie Zv‚ð”­•\ `ƒ}ƒOƒlƒVƒEƒ€‚æ‚è”äd‚ª25%Œy‚¢V‘fÞ‚ðÌ—p

Not many specs if any but it looks amazing, and the bezel

 

I would actually direct you to the elitebook folio 9470m, it should be one hell of a contender, the problem is the res, terrible

 

I don't know looks a bit like a mac, and it appears the HP is shipping in october, a bit too late for me, plus the NEC is 1.1 pounds lighter. Finally no HP for me, my girlfriend has one and she is not happy with it, only HP products I buy are printers Finally last issue, no idea if it will be even available in poland, both the NEC or the HP.

I'm waiting for computex in early june, supposedly a lot of UBs will be announced by then.

 

what a beautiful design, and such a light weight. i'm very impressed.

 

Ok crazy idea, Why can't Sony just bring back the old X series design from 2009 and just upgrade it to ivy bridge?

 

The X series could never handle the heat. There is just not enough space to sufficiently cool this type of processor in such a small chassis. It might be technically possible but only with huge penalties regarding noise levels and chassis temperature.

 

I am sure the design could be adapted and made to dissipate heat and what not.

 

errr... its an elitebook, they have that kind of design for some time now, you are confusing enterprise class hardware to consumer, if you want consumer go for a spectre xt, or the asus ultrabooks

those things are the meant to be abused and endure, thats what enterprise class means

 

I doubt it.

However I have to question Sony's structural integrity issues on the Z2, and arguably the vast majority of the 'carbon' machines vs what Toshiba's done with the Z830 - it's clearly possible to make sub-1.3Kg Ultra or Uberbooks that stands up well to handling, as opposed to just being good against machine-threatening impacts (which the Z2 probably is). It's just that Sony doesn't seem to have managed it yet.

 

^Z830 vs Z2 - again Z830 is ULV. It's quite a task to build a machine in that form factor that can support a full voltage CPU. The only way to do that, really, is to move to thinner, exotic materials (i.e. CF).

The fact that NOBODY builds a full voltage CPU based laptop that can match the Z's weight/Z height should tell us there's some real issues involved in doing so.
Now whether or not a full voltage CPU in a thin/light notebook matters is the real question.

 

especially since sony managed to include a normal voltage cpu which does not throttle under full load. some of the ulv ultra slim books throttle down even with ulv cpus.

 

Hmm my Z2 does send core #2 into throttling when it is 100% loaded for more than 15-20 seconds... I dunno if this is normal, if not I should open it and re-apply the thermal paste but since Z3 is supposedly out soon I don't want to bother right now

 

This is definitely not normal!

 

Also that the Z has no real competitors on a Malus domestica-to-Malus domestica basis. Even with the new rash of not-so-ultrabooks, nothing comes close, not with a full voltage cpu and not with a high quality (or any) 1080p screen. That the Z has two desirable yet unparalleled attributes puts it in a class of its own. Which only reinforces Beuaps point.

Guess the Z really in an überbook.

 

That's why we love our babies

 

Well, to be specific, it reinforces ONE of his points:

As soon as the Asus Zenbook with the 1080p screen is released - and arguably already with the Sammy 900X3B - all that will be "special" about our present Z2 will be those SV cpus, about which I refer you back to the second half of Beaups' post, above.

But who cares, we DO love our babies and just being a Z owner confers a certain je ne sais quois to life.

 

A fair point. I don't know what the quality of the ASUS panel will be like. It may be on a par with the Z's or it may be closer to the S-series.

As for whether full-voltage matters, it really depends on the specific user. For a casual websurfing/spreadsheet/word processing uses, probably not. For users with a greater power demands for their thin and light the answer is different. I'm guessing that a fair number of Z users use it as a desktop replacement. I'm not saying that Z owners don't also have one or more desktops (and any number of other devices), rather they are able to use the Z as they would a desktop including for more power-intensive uses.

 

If by 'je ne sais quoi' you mean incandescent rage caused by dealing with Sony Support, then consider quoi sais'd.

I've never ever actually dealt with Samsung Support. Mind you, I've only had like 5 in the last 10 years. Would be interesting to see if they're better if I start to use Sammy's more often - though I find it hard to believe anyone else could be worse.

 

They may be coming around:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/661947-sony-warranty-experience-very-positive.html#

 

That's right! I'm the proud owner of a 2.5 pound "desktop" CPU -- complete with a stunningly unique blurple interior.

 

I've never seen that color in person but I gather it's a bit different than the photos. No matter, it's appropriate to habe a unique color for a unique machine.

 

Zenbooks will be offered with IPS panels in the >$1000 configs beginning late next month. I can tell you the panel is gorgeous.

 

I need them with 8GB 256GB SSD for < $1000 . Am I hoping for too much too soon?

 

Hmmm. An intriguing bonus. I may need to rethink how I configure to meet my computing needs.

 

Shame of it is, Sony has all the stuff to capture the $1,000 mkt with the S with a decent screen and a decent fan, make a UB version by slimming down the chassis, dropping the DVD drive, and have the Z retain the "Uberbook"/Ultrabook crown, and they could really be a player. Instead, they go with the ridiculous bloated underpowered T, keep the same problems with the S, do nothing but put IB into the Z and render most of them outdone, outmoded and/or overpriced. Pathetic, particularly when they have more brand equity than Asus and Samsung combined. Pathetic.

 

I'd take an UX21A with 8GB 256GB SSD even at $1500, and then wait for Z4 (or whatever the next gen is) next year

 

Outright failure, I can see them addressing reasonably quickly.

Slightly more nuanced issues - such as obvious build quality problems - are a different matter. That hasn't changed since my first ragefest with the '08 Z's and TT's.

Come to think of it, at this moment in time I haven't had a single trouble-free Z in terms of BC. It's getting positively Applesque (though Apple problems usually come on the inside) in terms of the predictability of a defect, only without the lack of hassle. Something appears to have caused Sony to fall off a cliff post-SZ. My G, TZ's etc were as 'critically built' as the '08 Z's for example and they didn't fall apart or have really obvious part-fit issues.

 

Isn't it SZ when Sony made the switch from magnesium to CFRP? Perhaps they need to switch back to metal?

 

It's (IMO) the poorly thought out mixing of materials in terms of structural design that's getting them into trouble, not whether they're using mag /alu or carbon (or "carbon"). The SZ for example managed the mix without anywhere near the same issues (though it did have a tendency to mark the screen over time - but this has been a recurring Sony thing since the "carbon" screens).

Sony uses metal only in terms of 'skin feel' parts, i.e. to give the coldness of touch of metal, because carbon or "carbon" feels like plastic - because aluminium could be said to be an inferior material in structural terms compared to carbon or "carbon". The problem comes especially when you use it in parts subject to movement - e.g. if you utilise it in an otherwise all-carbon flexy screen structure, or say in a one-piece keyboard tray that you wrap around the front, when the primary structural component of the case is a carbon tub that's also pretty flexy. The Z does both of these and the results are evident for all to see.

 

Well, but it's exactly in pre-SZ era when they used mag. on the outside (back of the screen and bottom plate) and plastic on the inside...my VGN-S and PCG-Z505 are prime examples of that era. I agree with it's where that counts, but the trend with aluminum palm rest definitely coincided with the introduction of CF top lid.

 

Lenovo announces ThinkPad X1 Carbon, calls it the world's lightest 14-inch ultrabook (hands-on) | The Verge

this is much more interesting than the vaio T, its basically a 14'' screen with the size of a 13'', or better yet, finally someone got rid of the bezel width, I want that they go back to 16:10 so that they can also remove the height of the bezel