Vaio Z vs TT

There is an article on Toms Hardware that compares both series and comparing high end models to be specific. I can't help but wish the article was longer and more detailed.

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Sony-Vaio-Notebook,review-1158-6.html

I'm impressed by the fact that the weight difference between the two machines is less than 7 ounces, despite them having a 2.2" screen size difference!

I've been able to see a TT130 and Z530 side by side myself and noticed the TT's screen was slightly worse in quality than the Z's, the whites on it were a bit more yellowish.

I've been a big fan of Sony's T series since the first TR series came out in 2003 but this latest TT has been a letdown for me, at least in design wise, making the trackpad buttons and sides with a silver fingerprint prone finish, makes it look tacky compared to the more subdued Z which is only slightly larger (and now know its only 7 ounces heavier) but far more powerful and still has great battery life.

 

This is kind of saddening to read. My next netbook was going to be a used TT in a couple years. I have always revered Sony as a high-style brand with great quality. Great review, thanks for the link.

 

Rahul,

I will try to write up something up for the kiddies here and of course for you.

I've just got my TT198UB.Was a bit disappointed since these morons from Sony had screwed up the models AGAIN!

The 198 was supposed to be UBX, but yet it was produced only as UB, so no premium carbon, which by the way looks way more hideous than the premium carbon TZ...

The Silk Black TT in my opinion looks better, and don't get me wrong, once I saw the laptop, I went to the SonyStyle store to talk to the morons and see what the PC looks like, so this is not a 'buyer's pride'

The 190UBX which is the Premium Carbon with the same specs and price is lacking the WWAN daughterboard instead, which is a no go for me, given that I will be upgrading the MiniPCI-Express with a Option GTM382 HSDPA/HUSPA.

Bottom line, just got my TT198 and I am beyond happy, screen is awesome, way more vivid than my TZ, Weight is the same, the RAID0 SSD boosts to 335MB/s with average of 190MB/SEC and sparks of 240mb/sec.

Seek time is 0.1-0.2ms.

SuperPI for 2MB is 1m14s as far as I recall (typing from a different machine, but will reflect the number later).

BTW none of the reviews that I've read reflect the performance, options, anything adequately.

For one, all the cheering about the TZ has missed to mention the stupidity of Sony putting everything on the same USB bus i.e DVD/BT/Camera/3ports..., which I believe has been corrected with the TT. Will report later.

p.s. as for the screen colors being washed out, that is not true, it is one of those bulshit settings that come with the laptop. The Vaio Z doesn't have a auto-brightness sensor, which in my opinion is bulshit anyways, while the TT has.

Even if you set the brightness to 'full' on the TT, it will still look dark/yellowish colors. You have to TURN OFF the sensor to change the brightness to whatever you want, so the stupid sensor doesn't readjust your settings i.e. hightest brightness with sensor ON is not the highest brightness of the the screen. One to One the TZ has a crappy screen compared to the TT.

 

You cannot please everybody. I think that the black TT looks better now than the black TZ. I am not so keen on the other TT colour options though.
The black though looks great.

Some people who have seen both the Z and TT believe that the TT has got a better build quality than the Z.

As for the displays they are pretty subjective and people will be divided about that.

 

It is because the texture of the plastic has changed on the TT, it is more grainy, so it looks cheaper compared to the glossy-iesh one on the TZ.

The Premium Carbon TZ is better than Silk Black TZ, while the Silk Black TT is better than Premium carbon TT.

I had a 590CTO for a week (co-worker of mine) and it is a bulky, think piece of junk compared to the TT, no matter how you slice it. 2" + weight + bulkiness matters.

As for the colors. The red looks awesome . I can't believe I am saying that but it does. If the whole piece is in red, I will get one. The gold one is Okay, not as bad as the photos.

 

I felt the prem. carbon TT and I agree, I found it more appeasing than the Z I owned before.. I am just not too sure if I can live with a smaller screen yet

 

The TT supports any resolution you throw at it via HDMI or DVI (docking station). I am driving my 1920x1200 24" dell on it, works fine and it is DVI

 

|SONY|, how does the battery life of your new TT compare to your TZ?

Thanks for the explanation of its brightness sensor that can get in the way, that explains why the display model I saw didn't have as vivid a screen as my TZ's and worse than the Z next to it even on the highest brightness setting.

 

! My TT is going to have ultimate Carbon! I thaught that would be better! im well gutted

 

roughly shy of 6h on stupid stuff i.e. browing, emailing, xls spreadsheets. shy of 9h on the extended battery. The brightness is on 90% with AS disabled. Hate that thing...

TT is way better latpop than the TZ specs wise. My only issue is the chrome touches, which could've been spared...

As for the Auto-Brightness sensor, there are two high brigtness settings with or without it. Sony must've hired some MAC retard... opps guru...

 

Mr. Sony,

i like how you tell it how it is with these notebooks! i hate how some reviews get sugarcoated...

bud i don't understand how you can say the Z is a piece of junk compared to the TT...IIRC, it is only 7 oz lighter, and although i can see the extra 2" being too much for some, it is not enough to be considered junk. Lets hear some more reasons on why you think it is junk compared to the TT.

Also, how is the size of the keyboard compared to the full size on the Z??

 

Has anyone had any experience travelling in economy class with the Vaio Z? I am curious as to if it would fit in the trays...

 

I don't agree with you |Sony| i think that premium carbon weave on the TT is nicer than the silk black carbon lid. The premium lid is more desirable and hence is being offered only on the high end TT models.

 

Imagine,

It all depends on which airline and how big you are. My ex TR was barely holding on the folding table, so go figure.

 

rachuk,

You must be smoking something something.

The highend model is TT198UB and it is silk black, the TT190UBX is missing the WWAN and is premium carbon. go see both in person and you will be singing another tune...

 

Budy17,

I've owned

TR2, TR3, T250, T350, TX15, TXN27, TZ91, TZ398, TT198 from the Ultra Portable 10-11' range

and

S260, S360, SZ670 and tried a Z and decided to keep my macbook pro 15." instead, since I haven't seen any benefit of owning one)

The Z series

It doesn't offer any resolution improvement for the extra 2" over the TT, except the highest model.

The video is nVidia, I will let you guess on how long it will be until it goes bust on you

It is bulky compared to the TT

The keyboard is weird and sticky compared to the TT

The screen has a crazy flex in my opinion.

Either way I don't like it and I am one picky SoB

 

Ultimate carbon is premium carbon.
http://vaio.sony.co.uk/view/ShowPro...s&category=VN+TT+Series&assetid=1218032875600

Silk black/intense noir is not premium ultimate carbon model.
http://vaio.sony.co.uk/view/ShowPro...s&category=VN+TT+Series&assetid=1218032875600

 

Are you kidding me with those links? If those are high end models in UK, then I feel for your pain... getting ripped off for such low end specs....

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665511248

NON WWAN Premium Carbon

http://www.jr.com/sony/pe/SON_VGNTT198UB/

WWAN Silk Carbon

 

On the UK website there are other options that you can get but the Sonystyle UK store is down now so i cannot link to it.
Sony are charging a $50 upgrade on the US Sony website for the premium carbon fibre lid.
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...Id=10151&langId=-1&LBomId=8198552921665543655

Sony may have released that second model that you linked to first as the high end model and then released the premium carbon lid fibre later on this is what they did with the Z anyway. I would suspect as well that the first model that you linked to has got built in WWAN as well.

 

Your suspicion is wrong

I have the 198 and I've tried the 190. No WWAN on the 190 and the premium carbon look hideous.

The CTO models have two options

Storage or Optical Drive

The storage one has a maxed out version with SSD+2.5" drive and premium carbon

The Optical one has a maxed out version with a Blu-rey + WWAN and silk carbon

Go try to configure them yourself.

Either way, only by the fact that Sony is ripping us another 50$ for a 'premium carbon' that looks hideous on the TT compared to the TZ (remember I have a TZ398 with a premium carbon), that doesn't mean that it is the 'highest model'

Highest model is the one with the highest number i.e. 198.

Cheers,

p.s. I suspect that you don't know that both silk and PC are the same carbon, it is only the film or the paint that is the difference, right? It is not like the X505, where the premium carbon version actually amounted for 20-30g less weight and was totally different than the hack we call premium today?

http://www.siliconpopculture.com/forum/viewthread/3180

http://reviews.digitaltrends.com/images/reviews/952/20040106_1743231.gif

http://publish.it168.com/2003/1113/images/87723.jpg

This is the X505, remember since then, the so-called premium carbon has gotten worse and worse and marketing gimmick. I liked the PC on my TZ90/91/398 but on the TT ... it is hideous


And one more thing to prove my point how screwed up everything with Sony is now-a-days. Click on your link and configure a laptop, notice the price is about 500$ less than the one in your card at checkout

 

I agree!! with you and I did get your advice after all on which one I should buy the wn and vn so a big hug for you!

 

Pipe Sony Pipe,

I'm sure it wasn't your intention, but you come across as being quite arrogant in this thread..

Saying: "Buddy I've owned X, Y & Z" and "You must be smoking something" sounds patronising, to say the least.
Did you intend these comments to sound fun and light hearted? - if you did, unfortunately this was lost.

May I also suggest you change statements such as "the premium carbon look hideous" to something a little less emotive like: "In my opinion the carbon fibre doesn't look as good as it did on the TZ" This would help reduce the chance of alienating yourself from me and others here, who think the carbon lid looks okay.

Thanks!

 

It does offer screen improvement, for a price that can still be less than the TT. And the screen flex has been described countless times - it's actually better this way, much more durable.

None of the other things you said are real reasons.