Vaio Flip: the Yoga hinge comes to Sony

well the 15" has the option to get dedicated graphics

 

yea but im not sure anymore.... i mean i gotta wait for a lil more reviews... yes i alrdy planned on the 735gt 2gb
will the i7 16gig ram and 2gb vram
handle autocad, sketchup, vray, and other 3d animated related programs??

 

Yes, you have to hand it to them that the design is almost perfect, especially for business users. I think it is here to stay. And the overall build quality is very good.
When they get rid of these hopefully minor issues and add a couple of hours to the battery life, it will definitely be a hit.

At last we see something different from MacBook Air which actually "adds" rather than "takes away".

 

I returned the 13 A and got the 14 inches core i3 4GB ram 500GH HD since that is the only one left at bestbuy store.
I didn't hear any fan noise on the 13 but on this machine it is much louder. It also was so hot but after updating all sony and window software the fan noise is not too bad. It is still warmer than the 13 A. The battery is a surprised. It lasted 7 hours so far with my non stop use ( web search) at 100% brightness with auto adaptive off, dim and sleep mode set to never under power control.
When I left at factory default setting it said it would last 9+ hours. Someone left a review at BestBuy site said he got 10 hours.

 

That's crazy the battery life sounds better on the 14 so far. Sony rates the 14 at 4:45 and the 13 at 6:00. I also wonder how much of a difference the i5 model would make. They have one in stock at my local Best Buy, but after many exchanges after having multiple issues with different surface pros and the Flip 13, I don't want to make anymore purchases until more reviews come out in regards to battery life and fan noise.

 

have you guys heard about the 15" model losing its touch input frequently.... what gives.
do you guys think i should get the 15" model or wait for a fix?

 

It's an older post but I was wondering how you got this 25% discount?
I'd be interested to know how

 

Sorry for this 2nd post.
I clicked too quickly.
@nice_shoes: Would you be able to share with us/me how you got this 25% discount from sony?
Thanks.

 

If iam not wrong this bug happens after upgrading to windows 8.1,
so I guess this is a firmware problem.

 

so i shouldnt upgrade to 8.1 ?? :S

 

My Sony laptop is getting long in the tooth and I've begun a search for a replacement. I've had good luck with it and older VAIOs and I want to stick with the brand for my Windows machine.

I built up a Flip 15" on the Sony website which came in just under $2K which is more than I budgeted but not a deal-breaker.

What is seemingly a deal-breaker is the issues associated with the fan and poor battery life.

I'd love y'all to either convince me that I should move forward even with these issues or suggest another Sony model that may meet my needs which primarily include Excel number crunching, heavy web-surfing (Chrome and FF used simultaneously with 20+ windows open at a time), managing a primary Outlook calendar, MS Word (although collaborative Google docs is overtaking that usage). Photo PP occurs on my iMac and DVD use and streaming occurs on my MacBook Pro.

I've looked at other laptops from non-Sony brands and nothing gets me excited and I would really prefer to stick with Sony. I could make my current Sony laptop last a bit longer but I'd rather move on then wait to long...

Your thoughts and feedback are greatly appreciated in advance!!!

Cheers

 

Seems I cannot order any flip model from Sony in Europe anymore since today:

This model is currently unavailable.
One or more of the base components are out of stock.

 

people seems to have this problem after update, but that is what i've been reading, can be wrong !
Also this issues have been reported to the 15" model only.

Could somebody report if this problem exists before upgrading to 8.1 on the 15" / 14" ?



< EDIT > 14" seems to have the problem aswell

 

You're in a similar position to me, although my usage won't be as heavy. However, I don't think many of us can give an honest opinion on the 15A yet since barely anyone has received it. The general long life, good build quality and the average 2 year guarantee was what made me decide to stick with Sony for my next laptop, but negative reports and the poor customer service has me severely doubting whether to cancel my order even though it's the laptop I want and nothing else is sufficient. For me it's the design and the ability to make the most of windows 8 and it's design for touchscreens that sold the 15A to me. I don't see the point in a touchscreen if I have to reach over a keyboard to use it. There's not really a laptop made by Sony ATM that meets the same specs at the top end (i7, SSD, 16gb RAM and discrete graphics) unfortunately.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

Thanks for the feedback...at the very least it feels good to not be the only potential consumer in this boat!

When is your order scheduled to be shipped???

 

As far as I've seen, the fan issue is only on the 13 inch models and not on 14 or 15 right? Anyone with a 14 or 15 in model that has the fan issue?

 

Supposedly the 20th from the factory, but seeing as that was moved from the 15th I'm not too confident! My order has supposedly been in production since the 10th...

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

Same for me, ordered the 8th of october !
Surprisingly I called Sony Support this morning , and the Guy told me to call him back once i have received the Unit in order to discuss what the ycould do for me as a commercial gesture
I already got 25% discount... I might ask for a Free Computer

 

I know that it is possible to install Windows on Macs and even toggle between two systems in real time without the need of rebooting. May I ask you whether you have considered such a solution? I was thinking of buying a MacBook and using it as a windows machine myself.

Although, this multi-flip design has just sold me. May not be perfect but is perfectly usable considering weight and size. So now I am at a loss: proceed and buy a Mac or wait until they fix this one. Of course, the next generation will be perfect but you'll have to wait another year.

 

I see that too, an optimistic part of me thinks maybe they're bringing in a new fan component and a more realistic part thinks they've only just realized they should probably clear the huge backlog of orders.

Edit: Take this with a pinch of salt but I left the page open and the chat box was there when I went back and I thought I may aswell ask. The answer to the final question was that there would be no more delays.

 

25% off everything or just the accessories 25% off voucher? I was never that successful if you got 25% off any order, been speaking to the same assistant every time I ring up lately! Had to email from a different account too just so I could get reply to a previously ignored one. Supposedly a manager is now looking into the case. Admittedly I did order on the 12th so a bit later than you.

Been looking at the alternatives but it seems that nothing comes close when I look at exactly what I want from a new laptop with windows 8

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

Yes 25% on accessories...
But what surprised me is that the guy offered me to discuss about another discount.... Will see what he have to offer...

As for an alternative... I will give a try to this Sony. If it doesn't work properly I will send it back. Apparently there is rumors about the new lenovo x1 coming out beginning of next year.... That could be a good alternative if they decide to go with more than 8gb of Ram... And real quadcores...

Let's see ...

 

i was in the same boat at the end of October. I usually do it at work, but at times, I take it home to finish the work. Therefore i too needed a laptop replacement that allowed me to do the Excel number crunching and vba coding. I also do heavy web surfing (although not that many as you, 20 is alot) but I do on occasion do Photoshop and youtube viewing. At first my attention was towards the Samsung ATIV Q with its unique screen and it seem better than the Sony Duo, plus it was waicom which I've been used to using for some time now. I last use N-Trig eons ago on a lenovo. When Samsung flipped flop on distribution of the Q ans well as not providing more ram, my attention then took me to Duo-Fit-Flip series and i was hooked on the Flip. Except for the lack of a dual OS like on the Q, the Flip seems to be the perfect hybrid device for my needs.
Although i wanted the 15 inch myself I settled on the 8GB 128SSD 13a. So far it has hold very well with everything I do on it.
Ironically enough, I have it mostly on silence or standard mode and really do not have that much of a problem with the fan noise (reason being is that I am usually surrounded by noise both at home and work. The fan noise is usually not higher than the surrounding noise I'm in. But for those that are in more quieter settings such as a school, library etc it may be bothersome.

Now I do not know your locale but if you can possibly get to a Sony store or a retailer that is showcasing the Flips, i would suggest to go and check it out. No matter what anyone says (good or bad) online, the one that has to make the final decision as to if the device is perfect for you is you. Check to see if the fan is too much to bare. As for battery life, I believe the 15 and 14 are way better than the 13, some have reported close to 7+ hours. On my 13 I've only gotten 5 1/2 though (which to me is fine on a domestic flight, on an international one I plan on getting a back up battery adapter).

As for the fan noise solution, Miles got word that Sony is escalating the issue and will most likely get a fix, so I am leaning more on the side of hope. If the sales of the Flips are any indication (since they keep running out of them to sell/distribute) then they know they need to resolve this soon.

If they don't fix it, I will still keep the device until CES next year in Jan to see if Samsung does come out with the Q replacement and probably get that or if Sony has something else up its sleeve..

Anyway, good luck on whatever you decide on getting.

This is so true, even with the Flip which I think is designed great, there is never a perfect device.
Things that Sony can do in the next version could be...
1-Provide rubber stoppers at the bottom of the lid replacing the plastic ones, so when it opens the device does not slide.
2-Provide a stylus clip holder
3-Introduce modular designed components. One for the fan, that can be swapped out for another one etc etc
4-Bring back the standard power plug (many power accessories do not have that new one currently on the Flips)
5-Options across the board like graphics card, memory modules, etc currently 15 is the only one with Geforce, etc etc

TS

 

Do you know if the power plug is just different on the 13 inch or is it different on the 14 and 15 as well?

 

That's a very good question. I wouldn't know.

Anyone with a 14 and 15 inch care to chime in.

TS

 

afaik the 13" model has a magnet power plug while the 14 & 15 has a normal plug

 

It's not magnetic. The tip has simply changed from that used with the Duo and Pro 13. The metal is a little more bulbous at the end.

 

Yup, I briefly considered running the Win OS and Mac OS on a Macbook Pro but I really like a dedicated Win OS laptop. I also like having two laptops around JIC one dies and I really don't want to own two Macbook Pros.

While I really didn't do a whole lot of research as of yet, the Flip quickly caught my eye and I sure would like to make it the solution...even if that means waiting for it to rev next year. I tend to keep my electronics for a while and I'm not yet sold on the current model...but my mind is still very much open so I hope that everyone that has already placed an order to be pleasantly surprised when they take delivery because I'd like to see Sony hit a home run with this product!

 

Many thanks for the valuable feedback! I'm just north of SF so I will get into the store in the City to get up close and personal with this machine.

 

Hello everyone.

I got my flip 13 today even though I got an email this morning saying that it was shipped today. First impressions are that I love it. Design is great and hardware is awesome. I thought the fan was going to be way too loud, butt it really isn't. The fan is loud at times, but when I stand maybe 15 feet away (maybe less I didn't measure I can't hear it. When I put the fan on silent mode, everything is fine but the fan goes on and off consistently. I don't really get bothered by it. I'm hoping they can fix this, but other than that this device is perfect. I don't see how it could bother anyone in school or anything. Even if Sony doesn't put out a patch for the fan, I will still most likely keep it. If anyone wants me to do any tests then just tell me what test to do and how to do it. The only thing I won't do is open it up.

 

Can you tell us how long your battery last during mostly Internet browsing, note taking and movie watching

Sent from my SM-N900 using Tapatalk

 

I don't have the exact time, but I watched an hour long video and web browsed and have about 5 hours left.

 

Hy i ve ordered i7 flip 15 from usa site i ve got the mail that my flip is being built and wait for tracking mail . I want to ask what is the almost average time for that ?
It was saying when purchased the estimated ship date 16/12

 

I did a whole lot of research and frankly speaking it didn't pan out. 3 lbs tablet can only be used comfortably in your lap or on your desk. If you'd like to actually hold something in your hand then you are looking at around 22 oz. And that is Intel Atom's territory with screen sizes hardly larger than 12 inches. However, with their Atom z3770 they seem to have got it right in terms of performance and power consumption. Soon we are going to see a slew of thin and light Windows tablets with 10+ hour battery life and detachable keyboards. Rumor even has it that Samsung is going to launch a 12 inch OLED display. Ironically, together with the keyboard such a tablet may well touch 3 lbs as well .

So, for a 13-15 inch lap/desktop transformer this Sony multi-flip design looks best for now. However, not being a handheld tablet it could add a couple of oz to its battery in order to reach a 9-10 hour battery life.

 

Thanks for the well-thought feedback. I agree that the Flip (especially a 15 incher!) will replace a tablet nor (in my case) is that the intent. I suspect that I would only use the Flip as a tablet while on an airplane. I too share the desire that Sony increases battery life to 9+ hours...

 

Will the loud fan be fixed like vaio pro 13?

 

A fix for the fan noise should be technically possible since right now it seems to spin much faster than necessary, but we don't know if we'll get one yet.

BTW what exactly was the fan issue with the Vaio Pro? Same case of kicking in at much lower temperates and spinning much faster than necessary? Did the BIOS update completely fix it or was it still bad, but just better than before?

 

Actually never mind I thought they "fixed" the problem with a BIOS update but it seems like the BIOS update doesn't completely fix the problem

 

What update?

 

well.. every Tuesday i get a mail saying the shipping date has changed
now it's next week...
time to cancel my order.. i guess

 

Yeah I guess they hold back all new productions after the fan issue is fixed. Because on the sony website you can only order the 14A. So maybe new better fans in the newer models.

 

I still cannot order on the Sony EU sites, the option to configure is completely gone.

 

Ditto. **** this ****.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

Same here for my 15A

 

Mine got delayed too, for another week. This is really unbelievable. Forth delay, and in the last one the said there will be no more, and my final ship date is 16.-21.11. The think that bugs me most is that they didn't even send an email out this time. I had to get this info by myself. Contacted the german support yesterday and ask what was going on. They just told me about the delay, but said it is already in production - wow, my account information said it was in production two weeks ago, until they changed that last week.
Also, before ordering I specifically asked them on the phone what the weight on the 14" model is - they said it is 1.8 kg. Now the sony site says its 1.93 kg. They have just no idea of there own products.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

 

I cancelled today over the phone. Can't be bothered with this, its just too much hassle. Will be looking at lenovo's thinkpad yoga when it comes out instead or just go for a generic laptop that doesn't convert and has no touch screen.

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My flip 15 is delayed for the second time now. I ordered it at 8. october and now they say it's shipped between 23. and 28. november >.<
I bet they will delay it even more.


Reminds me on the Lenovo Helix. That thing was delayed for months in germany. Urgh.


To summerize problems i read about:
- Touchscreen has blackouts, shuts down until next restart
- Fan is too loud when not in silent mode and spins at full strength too early (temperature-wise)
- Fan spins on and off continuously in silent mode
- Performance-drops in demanding games
- Keyboard-flex
- Amount of preinstalled bloatware
- Display-quality (brightness, bleeding, viewing angles)

If the fan is really that horrible, i will turn away from mobile fan-devices in general. Bay trail offers a lot less performance, but if i am forced to throttle down a haswell-device to 50% to make it quiet, i can just buy the 300% cheaper atom-powered device >.<

 

It feels I have to chime in with some positive energi. I got mine yesterday, for my wife actually, but I was rather curious too.

It's a silver 13" i7 8GB 256GB and it's a bit heavier than I thought, but that's comparing with a non-touch SVZ so it's not really fair. You can't hold it like a Nexus 10/iPay tablet, but if you hold it on your left underarm, palm upwards, you can scribble with your finger or pen with your right for rather long I'd say. And I got a pen in the box, it seems it's not included for some.

Sure, the fan, well, it's not that bad some make it sound. For example, I bet McAfee was responsible for much of the heat it generated before I got rid of that. And the first couple of hours are always spent downloading loads and loads of updates so there's always something going on that needs cooling. But granted, sometimes it blows air that isn't noticable warmer than the air in the room, meaning it hasn't brought any heat with it on its way through the Flip, in turn meaning it blows unecessary air (and dust) through. But I would absolutely not say that the fan is of low quality. The only sound I hear is the sound of air. No sound from the spinning axle or mechanical noise. Any fix Sony might release is will probably be software only, The order stop is, AFAIK, to replenish component stock.

 

Looks like I won't be getting a customized Flip 14A any time soon...

 

LMAO, sorry don't mean to laugh but seriously estimated ship date of 2999, lol Wow Damn Sony is it going to take that long to fix these issues.

TS out (getting a really good extended warranty) lol