Upgrading VAIO Z11 SSD--will this config work?

I have one of the (relatively) new North American Z11's with a 256gb SSD. The specific model is VPCZ11CGX/X and I hope to upgrade its SSD to the larger 512gb size.

If I remove the old 256gb SSD sandwich and replace it with the proprietary Sony 512gb SSD NAND BASED SSD INTERNAL , will it fit/work?

I have quite a bit of experience with replacing HDDs on laptops/building desktops from scratch, but I have never worked with SSDs before. Additionally, I do know that Sony tend to have restrictive laptop designs, with the Z seeming a little more complicated--custom SSDs and a limited stock-BIOS.

Please let me know if I'm approaching this wrong. I'm used to popping off the back cover of a laptop and dropping in a larger HDD. I know I'll need to do a dissasembly for the Z and remove the SSD board...but I would hope to just swap in the larger size board, unless the quad 512gb ssd requires some sort of enhanced Z base.

Thank you!!

 

I believe the Z11's SSDs are double-sided: a connector to an SSD boad is used for both drives on the same board.

So I'm wondering if your 256G SSD is 128x2 (in which case is there only 1 connector) or is it 64x4 (there should be 2 connectors).

I believe the 512G drive is 128x4, which means if your current SSD has just 1 connector, you may need to change the FPC as well. I think opening it up and checking would clear all these questions

 

The drive you linked to is a 256Gb model (2x128Gb on single PCB).
Sony doesn't have 512Gb SSD listed since it is actually two of them (2*128+2*128)

I you have dual raid 0 256Gb model then you can buy that SSD and quad T-like ribbon cable connector (you already have one exactly same SSD you provided a link to)

I you have quad raid 0 256Gb model than you must buy 2 of those SSD's (2400$ total) with no need to replace cable.

 

I don't think there is a 512GB SSD for Z11, this $1200 one should be double sided 256GB (2x128).

depending on your luck you might finish with a 512GB (2x2x128GB) or a 384GB (2x128+2x64). I don't know if this last configuration allow you to mount a raid0, I think you need only 128GB drives for raid0, am I wrong ?

Anyway, if it is 2x2x64GB, what are you going to do with your extra 2x64GB SSD ??

 

Ahh all very interesting points. Thanks so much for the responses! I will open up the Z later today after work and take a look at my setup, hopefully I get lucky!

Edit: Just speculating, but I think I may very well have the 128x2 setup on the single board to create the 256gb since I got it in North America. Hopefully I would just need to buy the additional 256gb drive and an FPC with 1 m-board connection and 2 connections to connect to the two SSD boards?

I can now see why the 512gb stock VAIO Z11's were so expensive!

 

It's quite easy to see whether you have quad ssd or not - crystaldiskmark speed test for sequential read/write.

Many dual-raid 0 have single PCB configs. However there're single pcb 1x128Gb drives used in 384Gb models. Dual 256Gb may also consist of two such drives making an upgrade similarly awkward as with quad 256Gb.

 

Thanks again for the help everyone!

It appeared that I probably had the single board from the crystaldiskmark test and from looking at my model setup. But I decided to open 'er up anyway!

I can confirm that this North American model has a single dual-sided SSD for a total memory of 256gb. There appears to be room for another SSD board and there is only one basic FPC connector.

If I were to go ahead I suppose I would need to buy one of the custom FPC connectors found in stock quad-setups to connect both SSD boards to the motherboard.

Due to the very lovely price of these proprietary sony SSD's, I think I will wait and see if any progress is be made in adapting the FPC ZIFF connector to one that can take a regular after-market--and much cheaper--SSD. The drive-bay expansion looked promising but I rather like my dvd drive!

Thanks again for all the help and suggestions. I'm amazed at the engineering behind the Z, especially when I opened it up. Much nicer than going into an old toshiba a-series, which was a nightmare to get inside!