Thinkin About A Sony Fe

Dear Members,

I Would Like To Ask About Your Reviews On The Sony Fe , The New Version.


What I Heared From Sony.com It Doesnt Come Anymore With Built in Camera , Because Of The Problem With The USB2/ With Xp Pro I Think..


But Anyway I Liked The Look Of The Sony Fe Series, I Have Read The Review Here On It , Pretty Awsome Review , Nicely Done !.


But Overall What Do you Think Of It ?

Thank You

 

IT does come with an optinional built in camera, you should get it on sonystyle so that you can get the geforce 7400

 

I love mine, it exceeded my expectations in every way.

 

I personally have a Sony Fe customized from SonyStlye.com with a 2 year on site warranty. I am thrilled although much of the review was true that was done by another member. Horrible packaging, not that i care. Why would anyone want this laptop? I personally wanted a video card that was decent, geforce go 7400, had to look sharp and the screen had to be outstanding. I must say the screen is awesome, and the SZ screen was to small for my tastes. I was going to get and Asus but the on site warranty is important to me, as with Dell they left a scratch big enough to be a scar on my last laptop.
If you want a light computer, with a great screen that can play games at decent levels i feel there is no competition. In regards to video games once again if you want to play doom 3, upgrade your friggin desktop! If you can't put a laptop on your lap why did you buy it? Would anyone say and Asus screen is superior to the FE in comparison. just curious.

 

You serious?

 

Yes I love it, Though as you know im not to impressed with the whole dvd backup thing. But I think this person was asking about the hardware not the ****py support.

 

What about the screen going blank when Java started problem? To me thats a huge issue! Or has that been fixed?

Btw, has anyone tried playing doom 3 on this?

 

I had my hands on an FE and had the chance to play with it for a while. These are my observations based on my experience with the FE and the FJ side by side. These are only my opinions and you'll find that I am probably more picky than most others:

Pros:

Solid build all around (with the exception of the loose battery).
Great stylish and clean design.
Fast (when doing a clean install or even a semi clean install).
Runs cool and quiet with no pesky fan vent on the bottom (hate that).
Very bright screen.
Loaded with great features.

Cons:

Display: While the screen is VERY bright, the colors are not as vivid as the one on the FJ (or FS) series and there is a slight 'sparkle' or mesh/grid over light colors. Whites are not as bright or milky smooth as they are on the FJ display. So much for 'HiColor' versus the so-called cheaper 'ECO' version of Xbrite. I also feel that 1200x800 on a 15.4" screen is a bit ridiculous (IMHO). WSXGA would be a nice option. The FE also showed light leakage on total dark screens where the FJ did not.

Keyboard: The keyboard has to be the worst I've ever used on a notebook. The keys are too deep and feel cheap and plasticy. I think the worst part is the noise. While typing, it makes almost as much 'click clack' sounds as an old desktop keyboard. The only thing the keyboard has going for it is that it doesn't sink at all.

Speakers: For such a large multimedia notebook from 'Sony', you'd think it would have great speakers in it. Instead, they are inferior to even what one would expect from any notebook speakers. Ironically, the smaller FJ model has speakers with fuller sound and a bit of bass when comparing the two. The speakers on the FE are very tinny and weak like the ones you'd find in smaller sub-notebooks.

Nitpicks (cuz I am an anal-retentive Virgo):

Microphone is in a bad spot. Would be better to have it next to the camera in the display bezel (like the FJ). When you type, the click clack of the keyboard gets sucked right into the MIC.

Battery life under 3 hours is unacceptable these days.

The BIOS has no option to disable screen expansion so while you're in the BIOS, installing Windows or just restarting - everything on screen looks stretched and out of shape instead of nice and neat in the middle (again, that's just me).

Even though the entire base of the notebook is made out of a nice rigid magnesium material, for some reason they used a cheap bendable plastic cover for over the hard drive instead of a metal one found in many other VAIOs. Very strange.

For me, the negative outweighed the positive so the FE is definitely not for me. However, it's still a great notebook for those who aren't bothered by its shortcomings.

 

To Sowelu :

I Dont think You Are Talkin About The New Sony Fe, Because It Was Tested And There Is Not Light Leak. 2ndly all the users said the keyboard touch is amazing.


are you sure you are talking about the new Sony Fe 590?


Anyway Tc All

 

There really isn't a new FE model. What you may be thinking of are new FE configurations. Sony is known for their excessive model numbers and so on.

The FE model I was referring to above is the VGN-FE590PA .

The best way to see the FE yourself, is to simply go see and feel and play with it yourself - at a store. This way you can see the display in person and test out the keyboard.

As I stated above, my mini review is based on my own opinions. I've owned and used and previewed MANY notebooks over the years and I know what to look for and what I personally like and dislike.

Perceptions will vary. Some will love the keyboard, others will hate it. Some think the FE display is the BEST out of all, others (like me) will think it's bright but the colors are just so-so. It depends on the user.

Another thing to keep in mind is that not every notebook is the same (even when coming from the same manufacturer and from the same line). Lets say Asus is the ODM for the FE Series. Sony is not going to have ONE brand od keyboard, display, hard drive, memory and other parts for ALL FE computers made. It's common practice to have several different components from many different manufacturers (with the same spec) going into the very same notebook like. Therefore, there may be slight differences between one FE and another (same goes for every other notebook out there).

Don't put too much into reviews. I personally only read reviews to get someone's opinion but most of all, to look at good product pictures. I ignore comments on display, hard drive, acoustics, heat and all that because you don't know what part will wind up in the one you actually get. Also, and as I stated above, what's great or horrible to someone else means little or nothing to me (or you) as we all have different taste.

At the end of the day opinions are just, well - opinions. The only way to see if you like something is to play with it in person. I suggest ordering from Sony direct as you have 30 days to return it (at least in the US you do).

 

I only heard one guy saying he had that problem. I never had that problem

 

I take you've experience with an FJ and FE?? Anywho, I think the screen is EXCELLENT, but I cant debate you cause I havent seen the FJ's. Sony makes some of the best screens. You are wrong on the light leakage that was the SZ, I have zero light leakage. When you say "1200x800 on a 15.4" screen is a bit ridiculous (IMHO)" you think its too small or big? I would personally like more pixels and a better card

 

Yes, my sister has the FJ (green) and it is a great little notebook. I briefly had the FE but for the reasons mentioned above, I sent it back to Sony.

I can't believe how clear and vivid the display on the FJ is with clear milky smooth whites and sharp text. The FE display is MUCH brighter, but the colors are not as vibrant as on the FJ (even after tweaking with the color properties) and like I said, the whites aren't as white and clean.

Typing on the FJ is so much better (for me) as well. The keyboard is quiet, firm with just enough spring in the keys. There is no flexing either. I've typed on better notebook keyboards, but it's one of Sony's better ones at least.

Yes, what I meant by the FE resolution is that it is too low. On a 15.4" display I'd prefer a 1680 x 1050 resolution. Not too small, not too large - just right.

What I don't like about the FJ is that the casing is made of all plastic (even though it feels rigid and the base does not flex, it's still not magnesium) and of course the fact that you can not get one (right now) with Core Duo. The webcam should be dropped down a bit into the bezel as it is on the FE so when you open the latchless lid you don't have to touch the cam itself.

The FJ has a very clean and minimalist design with very good fit and finish. It does not feel cheap at all. The memory and HD are also very easy to upgrade like the FE.

But, we all know that every notebook manufacturer has to screw up one or two things on EACH model they release just to infuriate us techno geeks looking for that perfect notebook! But, a perfect notebook I am afraid does not exist (yet).

 

Ah i see what you mean. I guess thats explain the longer battery life on the FE, since the FJ has better colors. But the FJ doesnt have a dedicated gpu, thats what sucks.

 

sowelu,
i think ur opinions are great... i truly did find it very useful... i am currently pondering to get either the FJ or FE... my choice is more skewed to the FE juz because it's dual core n the video card... I'm gettin it off a authorized reseller tat's givin me additional sony 512 RAM for only USD60... well, then again, i'm in malaysia whr we can get good deals for almost anything...

Anyways... i've got a question i hope you can answer... does the FE hv any heat issues? For instance, the previous thinkpads i owned can really take some battering... i sumtimes leave my machine on for days... and it still works good...

 

Wow Sow you truely are nitpicky lol. Ok i'm sorry if you put my FE next to a Dell you will see a huge difference. There is by no means a perfect labtop. I bought it because i wanted a decent screen 15.4, light at 6.4 pounds, decent video card, and it has to look pleasing. Granted the cons you draw make it seem almost unappealing? Do we all not own at least one Sony product? Their support may be rude, but the bottom line is the SZ series is off the meat rack popular and the FE has one of the best screens. i stand behind the FE as a good solution between portability and power. I'm just going to have to write my own review i suppose : ).

 

Looking forward to it

 

Thanks supafreak. In terms of technology (Core Duo), speed, features and heat I'd recommend the FE out of the two. I didn't have the FE on for days at a time, but during the clean install process with constant CPU and HD activity the FE remained relatively cool and quiet. Also, if you like the display and keyboard on the FE, it's a no brainer. Those two components however broke the deal for me.

 

Yep, I am very particular with certain things. For me, the display and the keyboard MUST be a pleasure to use as those are the two components used the most on any computer. Write now I am typing this post using a keyboard while starring into a display - why would I want either to be lacking?

The things I nitpick at aren't the deal breakers, just things I feel are worth noting.

No one is disputing the great design and build quality of the FE so of course it's miles ahead of any Dell - that's a given. The cons in my eyes outweighed the pros so yes, it was unappealing to me not necessarily to anyone else.

Again, take reviews very lightly (good or bad) as you just won't know if you'll like it (any notebook) until you have in your hands.

Actually, I find Sony support better than Dell's (phone support, not practices). But, support varies on when you call, who and where you're transferred to and who actually picks up on the other end. It's a ****shoot like all other companies these days. A warranty is another feature Sony and all others make money on. It's for profit on their end, security on ours.

The FE may have one of the best displays, but to me, it's not the best. When you have the opportunity to play with and compare MANY notebooks and do side by side comparisons it's easy to see the flaws in what many may see as perfect. If you see it and love it, great!

Out of all the notebook displays I've ever come in contact with, the BEST ones are indeed from Sony. But, there is a false perception that if it's a Sony display (Xbrite) it's a good one. Not true. The best Sony displays (IMHO) are in the AX, FS and FJ models. The S, SZ, and TX are unevenly lit, dim and have obvious annoying dirty whites and sparkle with so-so colors. The FE is the best out of those models, but not as good as the better displays in terms of color vibrancy, clarity and smooth, clean bright whites.

 

Actually, the FJ has better real world battery life than the FE thanks to the smaller (and not as bright) display and the integrated GPU.

I am not a gamer (at all) and do not need a dedicated GPU. The FE I had just happened to have the NVIDIA card, but the Intel GMA 950 would have been fine for what I use and it will also handle the Vista eye-candy (so they say).

Also, vibrant colors on a display depend on the LCD panel used, not the video card. A display with richer colors and cleaner whites won't eat up more battery life, it's just a different display from another manufacturer.

As we all know, Sony does not make LCD panels. Their Xbrite technology is used on or with other manufacturers LCD panels (I heard that Hitachi is the one that makes the panels with cleaner whites with the more vibrant colors, but not sure who makes the others). The only way to find out for sure is to remove the LCD bezel and see the manufacturer label on the panel itself.

 

so in your opinion Sowelu, who has the best screen (vote in my poll in the "which notebook should i buy" section) and who has the best keyboard?

I hear asus laptops have nice keyboards.....

 

I totally agree wtih what Sowelu had said and what's been said in his mini review. The first time i put the battery on I was like wtf is this? it's so lose you just wonder to yourself who the heck designed this.

The screen is bright, but as Sowelu has suggested the colours are not solid enough (I'm comparing this to my Fujitsu N series which I can say has one of the best screens on the market if you've seen one before).

I personally think the keyboard is too soft, maybe I'm use to the Fujitsu keyboard but this is not my cup of tea.

Also, one thing I might also like to add is, the location of the head phone jack is umm..just not right. You know if you wanna plug in your speaker system to the FE, the wire will have to go all the way around from the front of your laptop to where your speakers might be.

Anyway just my 2 cents

 

I totally agree wtih what Sowelu had said and what's been said in his mini review. The first time i put the battery on I was like wtf is this? it's so lose you just wonder to yourself who the heck designed this.


is it true ,


what do you mean the battery is loose on it ?


thank you

 

The battery has a long rectangular shape which slides in from the back of the notebook (behind the lcd).

When the battery is bolted on, or should i say inserted, it does not mount onto the laptop securely. Meaning that there is room for the battery to slide about.

You should have a try for yourself and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Hope this answers your query

 

what do you think of the SZ series , i truly wanna get me a sony , which you recommend ?

thanks

 

I am looking for someone who can tell me how to fix the left side of my keyboard, it has some pretty noticeable and annoying flex. From time to time, more often than not, I can hear this very hollow sound. I popped off the keyboard and noticed that the reason why the left side is bad for that but the centre and right side are extremely solid, 100% flex free is because the optical drive with the metal (let me add very flexy and springy) casing is on the left side. It has a hole cut in the middle of the metal casing of the opt. drive with about a 1-2mm dip down.

The left side goes in a bit when I press it firmly with my fingers, but you cant really see the keys around the key that you are pressing sink in too, just a bit.

I have tried masking tape in that hole, to level it with the rest of the laptop, and ironically it makes the hollow sound worse (very very noticeable). I tried double stick tape, same thing, worse! I notice when I use tape, it causes other parts of the keyboard to raise a bit as well, and creates that hollow sound to that area. Wierd. So what can I do? This has become very annoying and I would like to tighten up this left side somehow. There has to be a way

 

Hi,
This is probably a bit late now...

I agree with the point about the battery, but a cheap and easy fix to to fold a piece of A4 and slide it into the crack between the battery and case. This will almost totally eradicate that rattle, which is very annoying.

The keyboard isn't bad. I find i take a long while to adjust to laptop keyboards- if I start thinking about this then my typing will deteriorate, but if I'm properly absorbed in what I'm doing, I can type effortlessly and quite accurately on this keyboard- much more so than on my Tosh M30X, and thankfully the touchpad does not interfere with typing. That was a major problem and annoyance for me with the M30X.

Speakers- check the settings for the Sound Reality Audio. Tweaking these can improve the sound. I'm severely deaf and when these speakers are up full blast I find them sufficiently loud and clear to listen to music with pleasure. Strangely, we've noticed that the sound improves as you move away from the laptop.

Screen: Personally, I'm glad the whites aren't intense. I find intense whites headache-inducing, and I think this second generation X black manages to comprise brightness, contrast, colour depth and minimum reflection very well. I also played with the Adobe Gamme calibration options in the Control Panel, and the difference it makes to colour depth (in comparison to the default) is incredible. I currently have a tropical fish wallpaper on my machine and the picture is absolutely mesmerisingly beautiful, even when running on batt power. Even my non tech mother and grandmother admired it, and my dad (who worked with TVs and other VDUs for years) was literally gobsmacked at the quality.

All in all, I'm really happy with this laptop. I'm also a huge fan of the Duo Core- it really lives up to the hype. Being able to run Premiere, play music on Winamp, and have a number of Word and firefox pages open at the same time without any system slowdown is mind blowing.

 

Sowelu,
Thanks for ur response... the aesthetics and click clackety keyboard is super for me and based on ur response, i'll most definitely be getting one sometime this week!... Yay!... thanks again..

 

the battery is very annoying, but not nearly as much as the hollow sounding left side of the keyboard. anyone have this, or know how to fix it?

 

Buy a wirelss keyboard? haha that's what I did !

 

Dear All Members,

I just wanna make some sense in the diffrence between those 2 link, and prices.

i wanna get the sony fe but look at those 2 prices and diffrence ?

thank you...


1st deal....

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=919709


2nd deal...

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INT...A&catname=cpu_VAIONotebookComputers_FE_Series


whats the diffrence , and from which company should i buy ?


thanks

 

if you buy outside of sonystyle, you will not have the choice of having a geforce 7400. The price is about the same in sonystyle with the same configurations as link one. It will be an extra 75 bucks if you want the dedicated vid card.

 

Sony ofcourse...

 

Whats The Diffrence Mainly ?


Thanks

 

uhh i buy a laptop so i can carry it around and use the one on here. not so i have to buy more parts to clutter thedesk.

sounds like you had the same problem? i notice its very common among this line of sonys.

 

I Would Like To Ask How Long Does It take to Recieve A Laptop from sony Style configured ?

Thank You

 

Took me about two weeks give or take. All the parts for my laptop were in stock. If for instance the Nvidia 7400 go is out of stock you have to wait longer I bought directly since their prices aren't nearly as outrageous as a few years ago. Their onsite warrenty is decently priced to which i also purchased

 

I'm looking to buy a sony FE as well...the price, design and soecs all look extremely attractive. I was reading opinions about the sony FE and someone said that Function (Fn) does not work? Is this really true?

 

Well The Sony Fe Is Awsome, I Ordered It few days ago. well they removed the Camera from it which Built In. To fix A Bug Issue With Windows Xp. 2ndly you can always see the review on it here @ notebook review

http://www.notebookreview.com/defau...+VAIO+FE550G+-+Core+Duo+T2300+1.66+GHz+-+15.4


Read And Enjoy !


good Luck !

 

Hey Members,

i need some help , i would like to purchase Memory for my sony FE !

1GB ---

from Where i Can Get The Best Price?

Will This Work Fine On the Sony fe ?

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=90054


Thank You

 

yes it will work, but you wont get the advantage of having 667 ram, since it doesnt support it. Maybe in a later update it will.

 

So What Kind Of RAM Do you Recommend I Should Get ?


IS It possible you can post a link ?


thank you

 

Hey, look at this link. You need to choose the specific part number of your vaio FE and then simply click next. The next page should tell you everything you need to know.

http://www.ec.kingston.com/ecom/configurator_new/models.asp?System=&Distributor=0&OriginalSysPN=&root=us&LinkBack=&Manufacturer=SON&WildCard=Vaio+Fe

 

Ooo thanks , but i was looking for Corsair .


But Thanks Anyway,


Where Is The Best Place Purchasing Memory On The net ?

Thanks

 

Yes !

I Have Found It,

Is this The one ?

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=90048&affiliate=pgcorsair

Is There Better Than This????

Thanks