VAIO TZ 10 Year Anniversary Japan Official

Thanks sturmnacht for the dealing with my query. So this Santa Rosa is it a chip which offers better and faster performance?

I know people have asked this before, but does anyone know of any site NOT Dynamism, where you can order Japanese laptops which offer international shipping? Or does anyone know of any sellers on ebay?

Kind Regards

 

Dynamism specs for Vaio TZ:

http://www.dynamism.com/tz90/pricing.shtml


Along with more photos:

http://www.dynamism.com/tz90/gallery.shtml

 

Uh, it's called a rumour and not an announcement. If they announced something it would be official.

 

SR is the chipset and offers the X3100 videocard which is faster than the GMA950 that is offered in the Napa platform.

 

What is neat about the GMA X3100 is 'transform and lighting'. This is one of the main features in discrete graphics, but the GMA X3100 will be the first integrated graphics to include such a feature. It will make rendered images a lot more realistic.

Another feature will be 'Robson caching' which speeds up the seek rate of the most commonly used applications using flash memory. That's another big plus. However, this may be one of the last features to be added onto the SR platform.

As for international shipping, unfortunately, I only know Dynamism and nothing else.

 

Thanks again sturmnacht.
Since i am a bit of a novice, what does it mean by 32GB Solid State HD?
Is that just a 32GB HD only?

Kind Regards

 

I doubt Robson will be used in an ultraportable like the TZ. I just don't see how Sony can fit it onto the tiny motherboard that they have. It would have been a cool feature to have, though. I'm also mad at Sony for not including Santa Rosa or the GMA X3100.

A solid state hard drive is like a flash drive. So, there is no hard drive spinning, so that translate into MUCH better performance since read or write speeds aren't determined by platter density or RPM.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid_state_drive

 

I'm confused, several sources have said the TZ would come out in Japan on May 26th, and on the TZ's main page on Dynamism's website, they say they'll start shipping late May but in the pricing page, they say it won't be out till June 21st?

Also, is it CONFIRMED that the U.S models will NOT be getting the 2.5" 160 gig hard drive option or the 32 gig SSD drive options? I'm interested in the 2.5" 160 gig drive so I may have to import. This is a proprietary Sony drive right? Could I perhaps open it up and put in my own 2.5" hard drive?

We are sure that you can't swap the optical drive with the 2.5" hard drive, its fixed when you buy it? There is absolutely no way at all to swap them? Because I was REALLY looking forward to that.

You said you can also custom order from Dynamism, not just buy their fixed configs? I think they do a pretty hefty price markup from buying direct from Japan right? Does anyone find it unusual that in Japan, you have the option of getting an all English, American style keyboard? Why is that?

In the specs, it says they offer an English manual, how can they do that? Do they just translate it themselves from the Japanese manual? They offer English OS and keyboards right?

I am considering importing this baby, what other importers can I look to aside from Dynamism? I think Icube, and Kemplar?

Thanks again guys!

 

Again, the US specs have already been announced including model names, its just not official.

 

Please tell me where you found them Outtrigger, tell me your source please, I think maybe you got them confused for the Euro models.

 

I just realized why Sony didn't use Santa Rosa on the TZ ... it's because ultra low voltage Core 2 Duo's for the Santa Rosa Socket P haven't been released yet.

 

Another web site for buying internationally is: http://www.geekstuff4u.com/index.php?cPath=22_51

 

I just wish there was a way to later on upgrade ultraportables like if I buy the TZ now and its refreshed to Santa Rosa later on and I could upgrade to that since ultraportables are among the most expensive of all notebooks.
Darn, I really wish this had the X3100 graphics or there was a way to upgrade it maybe by an Expresscard, not anything like the Asus XG station though. Maybe in the future? I know that ultraportables are not meant for gaming but I'd like to squeeze out the most I can and have it last as long as possible since they cost so much.


I find it interesting that their website says that with the 2.5" drive installed, you cannot use AV Mode, doesn't that seem quite unfair?

As they say
" 2.5 When type HDD approximately 160GB is selected, you cannot use "AV mode""


For those that order it with the 2.5" drive, they can't use it at all when the newer AV Mode software lets you view media from the hard drive.

Its really dissapointing there's only one memory slot in the whole notebook as well.

 

All it needs is one more jump. I don't think the Penryn really mean that much compare to having the GMA X3100 graphics on the mobo. When that time comes, you know I will have my money ready for that TZ. This is the second half of the giant leap in an ultraportable.

I think the magnitude of those half leaps are already as big as the combined upgrades from the TR to the latest version of the TX. Same goes for the integrated graphics area.

 

No one said getting things from other places when you can't get them here is cheap. Not to defend their prices, but they do have to convert them, order them, and if you have a problem, they deal with Japan. So you're also paying for customer service.

Most times the Japanese spec is better so you are paying a premium to get it. If you don't want to, just wait for the one in your country and complain about the spec and wonder why they don't get what the Japanese do.

 

Again, you're wrong. No US specs have been announced. If it's announced then please provide some evidence to substantiate your claim.

 

If Sony or any other company release a product that you upgrade like what you can on the desktop PC, then the ultraportables wouldn't be as thin as it is. Adding the components to make upgrading feasible is not only more expensive, but makes it heavier.

 

I don't think so. If that's the case then how is HP able to release a Santa Rosa ultraportable? They have a 12.1" laptop with the ULV Core 2 Duo and X3100 videocard. Though, HP is releasing it in Q3.

I think the reason why Sony skipped SR is because they spent the time and money miniaturizing the Napa chipset long before SR was released by Intel. As a result, they would release it to recuperate the R&D money that was spent.

 

No ultra low voltage processor that is compatible with Santa Rosa has been released yet. All previous ULV processors were based off the Socket M platform, whereas Santa Rosa is Socket P. The two sockets are not compatible or backwards compatible.

It took Intel several months to release LV and ULV processors after they launched Merom last summer. It'll be the same this time around.

 

Remember that ultraportable means different things to different people, too. For some, it's weight. Others, size. A 12.1" widescreen that is over 4lbs to me is NOT an ultraportable.

 

You were wrong the first time and you're wrong again.

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF06a/321957-321957-64295-321838-306995-3355633.html

This laptop will be released in Q3.

 

I agree. Any laptop over 4lbs is not a ultraportable. However, the HP laptop that I mentioned is under 4lbs.

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF06a/321957-321957-64295-321838-306995-3355633.html

 

Theres a tablet version of that notebook with Santa Rosa and the same processor too. Its called the 2710p. It weighs 3.6lbs, as opposed to that models 3.2lbs.

 

That's cool. Didn't see this one. Although given the drive speeds it lists, it seems to be of the 1.8" type.

It'll be interesting to see a comparison of this one with a full SR chipset vs. the TZ.

 

The X3100 isn't that much faster than the GMA950, but nonetheless, it's still a worthy upgrade. I don't think the 1.8" hard drive will be much of a problem as you can always replace it with a 32GB SSD. I'm thinking of buying that laptop and a 32GB SSD. I'm pretty sure I can do that for under $2200 and it would be better than the TZ. The only thing that the TZ has over the HP is style.

 

Yea, I know that, but I wanted to mention the 2510P since it's lighter and not everyone here needs a tablet. I also don't like the fact that HP is releasing the 2710P in silver. I would much prefer a black colour notebook.

 

Every 3-4 months Sony replace their models with newer one's. So do you guys thing that a refresh of TZ will have a 2.5" HDD or a SR platform with X3100? I'm waiting from the TXN27 to take an ultraportable but since i will spend a premium i would like to be at least with the last tecnology.

 

Why ... do you think this laptop is being released in Q3.

 

To be honest, I don't really care about having a 2.5" HDD in such a small laptop. I can replace it with a 128GB SSD in two years. Whereas with the GMA 950, that I cannot replace it with the GMA X3100. It's stuck there all soldered up.

 

Can you really replace the hard drive? Because at the TX it was quite impossible taking it out. Hope than at TZ will be easier!
About the graphic card, yea you're right.

 

Are you sure its impossible to upgrade the TX's hard drive? I'm sure its possible, though of course more difficult with most laptops due to you having to open up the whole notebook to get to it, unlike with most notebooks that have the bay at the bottom.

Unfortunately, I've seen a picture of the bottom of the TZ and its the same as the TX, the ram is easily accessible but not the hard drive.

The TZ's can take a 160gb 2.5" hard drive, most likely a Sony proprietary one, but you'll have to sacrifice the optical drive for it and I don't think the two are easily swappable, I HOPE they are.

Yeah, I'm really thinking of buying this but wished it had the GMA X3100 graphics. I know that laptops change all the time, but it sucks that ultraportables are so expensive and so not upgradable as well.

 

There is a 160GB 2.5" hdd out there, so I would put money on the fact it's non-proprietary.

Will Sony make it a pain in the behind to change? You betcha (see: SZ series). But someone'll figure it out. Hitachi has the new 7K200 7200rpm drives that go up to 200GB. At least Sony is putting a 5400rpm in there.

 

It's not that impossible to change the hd in the TX. It is a lot harder to change than regular notebooks and you do need to be the type of person who can take things apart and put them back together, but it isn't impossible. Not sure if the TZ will be worse in the disassembly department though.

 

I think that's just an estimate. The TZ will eventually get the SR platform, but no one here knows for sure when that will happen. The TZ already has a 2.5" hard drive option so you don't have to wait for that. You should wait if you want the X3100 graphic chipset.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cmp/20070519/tc_cmp/199602101

 

In two years time, an ultraportable will be even faster than what is available today. If the TZ offer something that you want, maybe you should get it.

 

Hey guys...instead of posting nothing but arguments about who is wrong, get along.

 

Dynamism TZ pricings came out. Boy, the SSD prices are steep

http://www.dynamism.com/tz90/pricing.shtml

 

At least there's WiFi-n

 

Yes they are, i would say about 300 to 400 premium vs. the Japanese's prices. Too bad they only have the 1GB RAM, which means if you want 2GBs, you would have to buy a 2GB stick and that would be in addition to the price. As tempting as that is, I'll wait for the US version. I did notice on the bottom it said lead time June 21st. Does that mean it wont be available for shipping til the 21st?

 

Now I'm wondering what the US versions will be like.

*CROSSES FINGERS AND HOPES FOR SSD VERSION SIMILAR TO FIRST OPTION AT DYNAMISM*

 

I would take a 100GB with an optical, but need a 2gig RAM config.

 

I had read on the Japanese site that with the ABG wireless, they will ship late May but if you opt for the N wireless, you'll have to wait until sometime in June, maybe thats what Dynamism meant by June 21st?

 

That may or may not be part of it.

Remember - when it's released on May 26, Dynamism hasn't even gotten one yet. They need to convert the machine to English and make it fully working (core drivers and all) before you can get it at home. So even if it ships 5/26 with SSD + 160GB + WiFi N, it'll take a few days to get to Chicago and they need to create their image. So mid-late June is accurate.

 

Right.
Sonystyle Japan originally says that if you want wireless N, you'll get it after Just 21st, and even after that day, they'll ship by first order first ship.

The day, June 21st, is set by sony, not dynamism whatever.

 

I agree, me too i will go for this modell. I absolutely need an optical drive so i think that this is the best solution. Maybe in a few years i could replace the 1.8" HDD with a solid state disk
Any thoughts about the battery? You guys thing that is enough the light-weight one or you would go for the standard battery? At the site of dynamism exists one standard battery for 349$ and another one for 99$!!

Can't wait the US official models

 

Dynamism's site is confused. The $349 battery is the biggest battery, probably a nine-cell. The medium six-cell is probably the "standard battery," and the $99 four-cell, the smallest.

 

hi every body...

the santa rosa chipset will not fit at the tz series, because it uses x2 power than the napa or napa refresh,
napa uses 7 watt TDB,
ans the santa rosa uses 13.9 watt TDB, and it because that the graphics chip is much better than napa (950 for napa and the X3100 for sn), and some more imrovements of the overall perfomance by increshed FSB Speed and more good things.

but the imporatent point is the napa (or napa refresh) can deliver fast and high perfomance for windows vista, even the aero glass working exelent, sometimes better than some graphics cards like old nvidia or ati and etc.,
and if your problem is the wifi n class, it possible to be inside the napa, because intel made a napa version of the wifi n module.

what is more good point is, that the tz power consumption is 32 - 40 watts,
and it's same as the old TX mashines (even less), and this is after upgrading the cpu from core solo that uses 5.5 watt TDB to core 2 duo that uses 10 watt TDB, this is because that sony made a some more power saving technolegy's in their motherboards, so the result is "same power consumption".

and all this mean's that the next micro pc's of sony shuld be have the core 2 duo cpu and the wifi n class, but napa and gma950, same as the tz series, because that the old UX models series have power consumption of 41Watt also, as the old tx series, and it can to upgrade to the core 2 duo in same way as the tx upgraded.
and question is when it shuld be come here?

 

I am confused about what exactly is put together in the device. Here's what LaptopLogic says 17 May:

"Featuring Intel Core 2 Duo ultra low voltage processor, it can munch up to 2GB of DDR2 memory. And it just gets better! There is no compromise anywhere, it also features a built-in DVD Writer, a 2.5-inch 160GB HDD and 1.8-inch 32GB SSD. Yes all of it together in the same system. Believe it!"

http://www.laptoplogic.com/news/detail.php?id=2438

Is there a misunderstanding somewhere?

 

a 2.5 HDD and a DVD is mutual exclusive, meaning you can pick one, but not both since they will occupy in the same place. As of right now, those are the Japanese specs, no one knows what will be offered for the US version, thats what we're all waiting, maybe by next month, Sony will have official US specs out. But if you don't like it, you can always opt to import the Japnese version, at a premium price of course.