Vaio Z or SZ?

I've been having a hell of a time trying to make a decision on which laptop to purchase. I was originally considering a Dell XPS M1330, then a Lenovo T400 or Dell Latitude E6400 but have now narrowed down to either the Vaio VGN-Z540CTO at the lowest config for $1734 or a VGN-SZ780CN for $1799. I have seen the SZ in person at a Sony Store the other day and its exactly what I'm looking for in terms of build quality and design. From pictures the Z looks great and hardware wise it has all the latest technology. I guess the real question is do i go for tried and tested hardware in the SZ or latest and greatest with the Z? Has the Z been around long enough for a lot of bugs to be noticed and solved? I need this for school so downtime needs to be at a minimum.

For a component by component comparison here are the specs of both:

VGN-Z540

Intel Core 2 Duo P8400
2GB DDR3 (2GBx1)
160GB 5400rpm HDD

VGN-SZ780CN

Intel Core 2 Duo T8100
2GB DDR2 (1GBx2)
250GB 5400rpm HDD

or is the best deal to step-up to the VGN-Z555DNB for $1999:

Intel Core 2 Duo P8600
3GB DDR3 (2GBx1, 1GBx1)
250GB 5400rpm HDD

This is driving me insane, it will be one of the biggest single purchases of my life besides my car so I don't want to screw it up. I know I'll be happy with either, just want to make sure I have enough info before I dive in.

Cheers,


Joel


P.S.: I'm from Ottawa so if prices can be reduced significantly from purchasing in the US or I can get better configs then let me know...

 

I should mention that if you get the SZ, that's not a good price. You can get a model slightly better than that one for $1550, so $1800 is a little too much unless you are set on buying from a particular dealer.

Sony Vaio SZ750N/C - $1550 @ Amazon.com

The SZ750N/C has the exact same specs as the SZ780CN you mention, except it's actually slightly better built - it's Made in Japan rather than Made in China I think.

Also, here's another good deal:

Sony Vaio SZ691N/X - $1425 @ Amazon.com

Regarding Z vs. SZ, it's a tough choice, like you say. It depends if you want to pay a premium I guess on the latest and greatest model, and whether or not the advantages of the Z (lighter, better screen) are worth the extra money.

 

You can get great deals on the SZ. Here a SZ750N/C Notebook for $1379 free shipping: http://www.ecomelectronics.com/prodinfo.phtml?id=2749&ref=pricegrabber

 

Unfortunately I can't purchase from Amazon.com since they don't ship to Canada. It sucks since I know I'm getting screwed on price...

EDIT: Seems like the place you listed Phil does ship to canada and thats a great price! Looks like I might have found a winner...

 

I have gone for a SZ for somewhat of the same reason, but I chose it over an SR as you can see the prices are in the 1300 range and it is then comparable to the SR price range. I love my SZ and it is truely a tested product and yes, they are made in Japan too.
in case you have the extra cash .. the advantages of a Z over SZ would be..
1. slightly lighter
2. switching between stamina and speed, does not require a reboot (althogh it does require you to close all your applications)
3. better screen (sz screen is also great, Z is just greater )

 

I think I'll go with the SZ, the extra cash I save can be spent on more RAM and a larger HDD or maybe a new LCD for my desktop just hope I don't get raped on duty at the boarder...

 

Yeah, the price there is excellent, and they have a 9.47 / 10 rating at resellerratings.com. Looks like a very good buy.

In fact, I may actually buy it myself . The Z is actually excessive for my needs, and for $1000 less than the Z I want, it's hard to resist this deal.

 

Ha, i have a Z and i didn't even know that. i've been turning it off to switch.

 

Why aren't you considering the SR? I'd say the only reason to go for a SZ instead of an SR is if you really need that Integrated graphics for extended battery life, but the SZ has the faulty nvidia discrete graphics GPU.

There has been little mentioned in regards to the GPU's failing on SZ's, presumably because less people own them then then own macbook pros or dell xps m1330 or m1530's, but regardless, the discrete gpu is known to fail... so, im not sure what the goal is for your computing needs, but the SR is slick looking, quite cheaper, and very powerful as well, only downside is that it does not have a graphics switch, but the integrated GPU on the SR is about as powerful as the discrete gpu on the SZ and the SR gets better battery life around 5-6 hours have been reported with the integrated gpu. (x4500...which is comparable in power to a geforce 8400, which is what the SZ uses...i believe.)

The premium SZ and the Z both use carbon fiber which is 1 lb lighter and supposidley more durable casing...but i think its more of a flashy thing then a utlity thing with carbon fiber, hard plastic and magnesium alloy chassis for the SR is more than fine for most people...

 

The 8400GT was used in the Sony FZ and i have yet to read a report of a graphic chip problem with this notebook in this forum. This notebook is quite a popular notebook as well. For some reason Sony notebooks don't seem to be as affected as some other notebooks.

 

The ultra-premium carbon fiber finish on the SZ691 and SZ791 (where you can see the weave pattern) isn't functional at all, but carbon fiber used as a build material definitely is (regardless of it's appearance).

Without carbon fiber, not only must heavier materials be used, but they have to be thicker to achieve the same level of stiffness and strength that carbon fiber has (carbon fiber is 5x stronger than steel, and is obviously much lighter). The result is a lighter and stronger laptop.

The Sony Vaio SZ for example is lighter (.17 pounds), and arguably stronger than the SR. I'm sure this is due to the SZ's carbon fiber.

 

I totally agree.. carbon fibre is not just used as a marketing gimmick.. it does have functionality and is lighter.. even the SZ premium series (carbon fiber), is lighter than the regular SZ (Mg Alloy)..

 

I'm not arguing the functional strength of carbon fiber, my bicycle has carbon fiber on it...i understand it's strong, but what exactly will that do to improve you notebook?

If you drop it, most likely it will be MORE DAMAGED if it is carbon fiber as carbon fiber is very expensive to repair, and your notebook will still break if its dropped, regardless of a magnesium or carbon fiber chassis, from some height in certain conditions...it will break. Example...typically carbon fiber on a bicycle is almopst as strong as aluminum...but it's lighter and more vibration dampaning, but if it breaks, you must replace every carbon fiber component, or pay very expensive repair costs. but for biking, weight and vibration reduction is important and worth the risk.

So my point is simply that aside from the very minor weight difference, there is no functional reason to go to carbon fiber for a laptop. It will not be a noticeable difference in day to day use...

If someone can enlighten me by giving me a scenario where a tiny weight difference and the use of carbon fiber(in the Z) vs. hard plastic and magnesium alloy(in the SR) can be greatly utilized in any scenario..please...i would love to hear it. Don't get me wrong... the Z is a great LOOKING machine, but if this is about looks...then i will stand down and agree right away that the Z wins in the looks department vs. the SR

 

Basically, it's a value call. If you're not bothered about saving some weight, then it's not worth it. Essentially, the use of carbon fibre in the chassis is to save weight vs the equivalent use of metal/alloy/plastic.

Generally speaking, a smaller and lighter notebook will cost a lot more than a bigger and heavier one with identical technical specs. That's partly due to the increased cost of miniaturised parts and R&D, and partly just because small, light laptops are very useful to people who constantly travel... so they're willing to pay a premium. If you're not willing to pay that premium because the extra weight/bulk isn't a problem, no-one will have a problem with that!

 

hi, i've been reading thru some of these pages, and am thinking of getting either an SZ or a Z (same as starter of this thread).

it seems to me that these are the pros/cons of both:

SZ - less noisy, better speakers, keyboard layout preferred by some, performance (graphics & otherwise) abt similar to the Z.

Z - lighter, better screen, able to change between speed/stamina without reboot

Also, I can get the high-end SZ for abt $2099, while the Z costs $2249 but comes with the an extra, long-life battery. So I think in the end the price difference isn't too much...

any advice/suggestions on which is more value for money, or which I should go for? or should I wait for a while to see if later versions of the Z would have less noisy fans?

also, if I do get a Sony now, should I opt for extended warranty (3yr) and pay more, or stick to the 1yr one that will come with my package? if Sony's quality is that good, technically shdn't need the extra warranty, right???

appreciate your advice pls!!!

btw, i'm currently using an ASUS W3V which is 3yr old, still working fine except battery died 1yr ago, so only running on AC. I think this was the first lappy with the power on/off switch on the side, which Sony started to roll out with the TZ. but don't quote me on that

 

I've read that SZ791 also has fan noise, but I don't know if this is true.

I thought there were better deals available.

 

Finally somebody who sees my point. if it drops, i dont care if its titanium, the pc is going to be damaged just by sheer impact. sure maybe it wont crack...but you'll have to replace most of the inside anyway. if you have warranty with ADH, then this wont even bother you..at least you get a new laptop most likely. Also, the weight issue is all in the mind, IMO. I can't tell from 5 pounds to 6. never the less 3.x (z) to 4.x (sr).

But as mentioned, its the premium price you pay if you want premium components, which in turn, are up to you if you want. no one is forcing you to buy it. but i do see the argument here.

 

Of course it's most likely going to break if you drop it, although the stronger the material, the less severe the damage will probably be.

But you're right. Nothing's going to protect your laptop from being dropped, and carbon fiber doesn't even claim to help in this area (in fact it could be worse for all I know). The advantage of carbon fiber being so strong is that it will hold up better against everyday wear as you carry it around, in addition of course to being lighter and thinner without compromise.

 

I too agree with ac500 with the carbon fibre thing.. its like.. it will break.. so lets get to cheap plastic.. that will break too.. why go with magnesium...

duke and thebigpants27: it is the same thing as where you draw the line.. obviously everyone has their priorities and the price you pay for.. now you may not be able to find difference between 5 and 6 pounds.. so lets go for 6, but then can you find difference betweeen 6 and 7?? its the point that where you stop.. to me even 1/2 a pound makes a difference if I need to carry my notebook half the day..
obviously everyone is different with their needs, and thats why we have so many different models.. else there would be only one ultimate notebook