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    VAIO Z1 Upgrade Options

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by freakdog, Dec 27, 2011.

  1. freakdog

    freakdog Newbie

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    I'm keeping my Z122GX/B for a while, since the Z2 upgrade path does not give me a comparable system. With that being said, I've been a lurker for quite a long time and I was wondering if anyone could answer the following on the Z1.

    I have a Z122GX/B with the 128G (64X2 RAID0) and wanted to know if there are now any good upgrade options for increasing the size of the SSD without replacing the optical drive. Has anyone broken apart a OCZ or similar and forced it to work? I'm handy with a soldering iron, but not fine-pitch surface mount :)

    I've already upgraded to 8G(4x2) RAM and I have a 32G SDHC.

    It appears from the Sony disassembly guide that the Z1 series has a socketed CPU. Is this not correct? I have the core i5 520 2.4 right now. Is it worth it or possible to upgrade to the i7? Has anyone done it?
     
    freakdog, Dec 27, 2011
    #1
  2. XTACTIC

    XTACTIC Notebook Consultant

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    You could buy some 1.8 sata II SSD's and strip the housing from them to install them in the Z12+, and replace the optical bay with usmode caddy for any 2.5 ssd.

    don't know about the cpu. if anything i'd of wanted to upgrade the fan in mine, it can barely cope with i7 heat at 3.2 ghz...
     
    XTACTIC, Dec 27, 2011
    #2
  3. namaiki

    namaiki "basically rocks" Super Moderator

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    namaiki, Dec 28, 2011
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  4. freakdog

    freakdog Newbie

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    From this thread.

    http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/342581-good-news-i-have-got-hold-official-vaio-z-repair-manual.html
     
    freakdog, Dec 28, 2011
    #4
  5. namaiki

    namaiki "basically rocks" Super Moderator

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    If you mean the service manual linked in the first post, that seems to be for the Core 2 Duo Vaio Z (VGN-Z) which is not the Vaio VPC-Z1 - link.
     
    namaiki, Dec 28, 2011
    #5
  6. Achusaysblessyou

    Achusaysblessyou eecs geek ftw :D

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    I believe the CPU in this version of the Z is soldered on (ask those that have replaced their thermal paste for the heatsink). I've read on here a few times from reputable sources that the CPU is in fact soldered on, but I've not seen for myself.
     
    Achusaysblessyou, Dec 29, 2011
    #6
  7. mklod

    mklod Notebook Enthusiast

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    You could replace your board with the i7 version, but the performance increase would easily not be worth the time and effort to do so.
     
    mklod, Jan 3, 2012
    #7
  8. NuShrike

    NuShrike Notebook Guru

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    If the Z11's cpu is socketed, would be nice to pick a later i5 that ran a bit cooler. Anybody know?
     
    NuShrike, Jan 4, 2012
    #8
  9. pyr0

    pyr0 100% laptop dynamite

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    All Z1's have soldered CPUs.
     
    pyr0, Jan 4, 2012
    #9