What do you think of the NEW Vaio FW?

it comes with the 3470 like in the US, but perhaps the CTO will have 3650. Once the laptop comes in next week, I'll go check it out, since expect ship date is 23rd of july. I checked the specs of the sizes and it seems to be quite big, which is a plus for me since I do some graphics work on the side.

 

After seeing the FW at Sony store, picking it up, putting it in my lap, typing, touching, mousing, feeling the bottom for heat (nice & cool), I canceled my Z and ordered the FW. Seeing 1600x900 on 16.4" FW made me realize that Z with same res was simply ridiculous!! Basically, the FW was the default winner after eliminating everything else (HP, Dell, Lenovo, VAIO Z, VAIO SR) for one reason or another.

BTW, the FW I saw did not have the upgraded Hi-Color screen. It was a pretty ordinary screen...off-axis viewing was quite bad. So I strongly recommend you get the better screen.

 

thanks for your mini review!

I am in the same boat, the only close competitor at least in my book is Lenovo IdeaPad, but the screen probably not going to be as good so why bother...

 

Really... interesting.

Gotta get an in-person look (and feel) at one of these babies.

 

ok so im about done pre-ordering my FW, so im throwing this question out there. Which color do you guys like better, white or titanium grey?

 

I would go with grey, i think it will show less dirt...

 

Grey. Not even a question in my mind.

 

Gray all the way. White keys are hard to see.

 

The FW series just came out. It seems like we are all expecting too much of Sony. Maybe with the newer models that will eventually come out, Sony will include an HD3650. Or maybe they'll surprise us with a HD3870?

By the way, Tetonwolf, you're mini-review was great. Thanks for giving us your initial impressions of this new notebook. I'm glad it runs quiet and cool. I also saw pictures of Sony's new dock. It looks amazing and it is very similar to the one on the PSP.

The only issue with this notebook is that it does not include DDR3 RAM and an HD3650 GPU (or higher). This is insufficient for most people's expectations and needs, thereby preventing us from purchasing this incredible notebook.

I began considering the new Sager NP8660 (a.k.a. Clevo M860TU), because it included DDR3 RAM and the option for a high-end GPU like the HD3870, 9800 GT and the 9800GTS.

Again, I want my notebook to last. I want it to be future-proof like some of us previously mentioned. A GPU like the HD3470 will not last a long time, with new GPUs coming out every quarter of the year... And with newer games coming out that demand a lot more power, the HD3470 will be insufficient for these purposes...

I'm not a hard-core gamer, but I do game frequently, and I would like an option for a high-end GPU. Sony expects us to buy a PS3 for gaming. However, Sony is being ignorant to those who may want to have a mobile and semi-portable solution.

Having owned a Sony desktop in the past, I would like to stick to Sony and I hope they'll include better RAM and GPU in the coming weeks...

 

How much does that Sager weigh?

 

The Sager NP8660 weighs about 7.1 pounds. Although its heavy for it's size, the weight of the notebook is justified by the incredible performance.

 

If you are in a Sony forum, don't even bother looking at Sager, design looks like it was made in early 90s... People who buy Sony, don't buy it for performance, but for aethestetics

 

the NP8660 is the first notebook to use DDR3. The DDR2 that sony uses on the BZ, SR, and FW are @ 800MHz, instead of the 667 on the older models. The Z has DDR3.

Sager weighs a good deal, and has horrible battery life, but is a beast of a machine if you game. Cossack7v7, the sager is a great gaming notebook but i don't know how much mobility you can get on its battery life and weight. If you don't mind having it plugged in most of the time and the look of it, you should buy it.

And 8-Cell battery would get you around 2 hrs of life. 7.1 lbs for its size? Doesn't sound all that mobile to me. the FW at with a T9000 series processor gets over 2 and a half hours from a 6 cell.

 

Oh. Well I was kinda hoping for both.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, Sony has never been into performance with their laptops at least, so why do you expect that would change?

 

Depends on your definition of performance, I suppose.

I'm coming from a Dell D420 ultraportable with a Core Duo U2500 processor and 1.49 GB RAM. Anything I buy today will be a performance machine.

 

I wouldn't agree with that. Sony has some of the best ultra-portables out in the market(UX, TZ, SZ, SR, and Z). Their everyday computers are pretty good(BX, CR, NR, FZ, BZ, and FW) and their desktop replacement is one of the best in its category(AR).

The only performance that sony has never been into is hardcore gaming laptops. Thats very common in many of the companies, where they make the 17" desktop replacement the option for gamers. Thats why there are companies like sager and divisions like alienware to satisfy gamers.

 

i am talking about graphics performance that's what this whole thread been all about!

 

sony just likes to get cheap level cards that can display hd very well and can support the latest and alot of the hd encoding.

 

Alright, so Sony hasn't been focusing on performance. But is the HD3650 to much to ask for? Come on, it's a mid-range GPU. I'm not even talking about a HD3870!

It doesn't make sense to have a large notebook like the FW series, have an HD3470, when a smaller notebook, like the SR has the same exact GPU. Wouldn't you expect more out a larger and heavier notebook?

Again, is a mid-range GPU too much to ask for? HD3470 is at the low-end of the GPU spectrum...

 

Thanks, Cossack. As for gaming power, I think the 3DMark06 for the FW ATI card was about 2600. I'm not a hard core gamer myself but that's a pretty decent score...hell, my year old Opteron 2.8Ghz desktop with ATI 1950GT 512MB scores 4500 and it's very fast for me (and I run at 1680 x 1050). Funny how last years speed demon is this years snail. Anyway I'll load it up with a bunch of games and let you know how it feels (I've got COD 4, Fear, HL2, no Crysis).

 

Great! I can't wait to see how those games perform with this graphics card. These are some of the games I usually play. I hope they'll get decent frame rates...

By the way, since you already saw the notebook in person:
1. What is the quality of the materials used?
2. How does the keyboard and touchpad feel?
3. Have you seen Sony's new dock?

Thanks.

 

I'd like to know about the keyboard too. I've always had regular laptop keyboards... never one that looked like a Sony or Macbook.

And what is Sony's new dock?

 

Does it have easy access panel for the hard drive and RAM like FZ? I hate it if I have to take half of the casing just to upgrade the hard drive and RAM.

 

I'm not much good at judging materials. Seemed smooth & streamlined. I like the relatively matte finish...nothing worse than a glossy laptop.

I am a new convert of this style keyboard...I also have a Macbook Air. So I like it. I also like that rightmost column of keys are there like Home, End, etc. (unlike SR & Z).

Touchpad is roomy and responsive. I will probably adjust it be it even more responsive due to larger screen resolution.

Haven't seen the docking station.

 

RAM access is easy and fully documented in the Sony user manual.

Not certain about the hard drive but it sure looks to be easy via a bottom access panel in the front left. If true I'll be putting in a 7200 rpm 320GB drive and putting the FWs drive into my PS3. The hard drive can be the single biggest performance bottleneck in your system.

 

Thanks for all your info, i've been looking into the fw for a while. Since you've actually seen one in real life, I'm wondering about the general build quality... is it pretty sturdy or is there a lot of flex around the screen or around the body of the laptop?

 

It's plenty solid...didn't notice any flex but I wasn't really trying to rough it up either. It's not a Toshiba tank or anything...it's fairly sleek.

 

Okay, thanks!

 

Speaking of glossy, how glossy did the screen appear? Was it like a mirror (I hate that) or did it have some sort of anti-glare material?

Personally I prefer a matte screen -- not a huge fan of the glossy. But more and more laptops are getting glossy screens.

I like that too.

 

Hello,
I am a total newbie here and I wanted to ask a couple of questions that I hope someone can help me with:

1. I am thinking of buying the FW. Is the new-style keyboard good to type on, and does the keyboard keep cool? The problem with my current laptop is that after a few minutes, my hands get very hot because of the heat coming from the laptop.

2. Would I be able to play games such as Sim City 4 and Pro Evolution Soccer on it?

 

I usually notice if a screen is too glossy and this one was not. However, it wasn't the HiColor screen either.

 

and the newe blu-ray writer is just 2X speed write!

6X speed writer is already launched in the market

 

it's amid market laptop, but a very good one ( Sony tends to be)but they go for the safer options

 

Does anyone know if you can get 1920x1200 resolution when using the HDMI? I need that resolution for my 24 inch LCD.

Thanks.

 

yep it says its supports full 1080i HD on the FW. So you can get full 1080i through the HDMI.

 

Do you mean 1080p?

However 1920x1080 is not 1920x1200.

 

Exactly. I require 1920x1200.

 

I would expect yes, but I am not sure. If you want to you can find the manuals in the main 'New Models FW/SR/Z' thread.

 

This is exactly what i think! we will just have to wait for the right model to turn up! I think they will do it !

But i wonder if ddr3 is upgradable, and if they use a heat pipe (copper) cooling of the harddrive like the Z, then maybe 320Gb 7200 could be an option for upgrade

 

this is why rushing and buying something that comes out right away is not the best idea. It is always possible sony will budge and release new models with different specs.

 

Great to hear! Also, by dock, I meant the new media bar UI...

Here's the link:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/17/sony-extends-xross-media-bar-ui-to-vaio-fw-laptops/

I'll probably wait for Sony to release newer models. Maybe the new DDR3 RAM and HD3650 will become viable options by then.

 

I found the keyboard keys on the FW to have more of a matte finish than the SR.

 

I hope the keys are durable and will last a long time.
Has anyone seen the new media bar UI?

 

I was at the local Fry's earlier and they had an FW on display so I spent some time looking at it. Here is my 2 cents on the FW:

1. The size is not bad at all. I was expecting it to be huge because of the 16.4" screen but the overall size and weight felt pretty good (there were many other 15.4" notebooks around which I used as a point of comparison). Basically it's a very manageable size.

2. The screen was really nice. I'm pretty sure this was the ECO model and not the Hi-Color. However, it was very beautiful nonetheless. The reflectiveness on it was not as bad as some of the others near it (Toshiba looked the worst in terms of reflections off the glossy screen)

3. The keyboard is not bad, but not great either in my opinion. The spacing and layout is fine. The only issue I have is the shallow stroke of the keys. They just don't travel far enough down. I've tried the Macbook keyboard and it was about the same as the FW so if you're into those types of keyboards, then you won't mind the one on the FW. I'm sure I could live with it if I bought an FW (which I'm considering doing but I want to see reviews of the hi-color screen first)

4. In terms of heat, there was one surprise. First, the whole computer was pretty cool, including on the bottom. However, the whole touch pad area was noticeably warm. I mean this was enough warmth to make it bothersome to type and rest your wrists and thumbs near the touchpad and the spacebar. The whole touch pad and the spacebar area was too warm. I'm not sure what sits underneath that area but it was annoying at the very least (I will wait to see if others find similar heat issues).

5. The look of the whole computer is excellent. It really is nicely designed with nice lights, placement of buttons and lack of a crowded keyboard area (there was a 16" Acer nearby and it looked horrendous with all those keys and lights, etc). The FW is definitely elegant in its simplicity!

6. The speed of the system seemed very nice. Every program I tried was very snappy and responsive.

7. The graphics were also very smooth. I tried using flip 3d with about ten windows opened and it was so fast and smooth that I was really impressed. Some people standing next to me were in awe of what I was doing (apparently they had never seen flip 3d in action before).

8. I almost forgot to mention this but the screen/lid does not tilt back as far as other similar laptops. The FZ, which was sitting nearby, had a lid which could open almost 180 degrees. The screen on the FW only tilts back about 110-120 degrees at most. It reminded me of the screens on the macbook and the macbook pro which will only go back so far.

Hope that helps some of you who have been waiting for reports on the FW.

 

This bothers me too. There are times when you really need to push the screen back (like glancing at email while standing, or sitting with your knees bent with the laptop on your legs/lap).

Other than this, and the Eco screen not being great (I can't wait to see the HiColor!), the FW is a very, very nice laptop.

And I too was surprised with how "non-massive" it was. I was expecting something much bigger & heavier.

 

thanks for the information superbob, appreciated. it sheds some light on a few unknowns for me.

 

Thanks for sharing, superhob!

It seems that heating will be an issue. The fact that the touchpad and palm rests get warm has me worried. I'll just have to wait for more reviews...

 

Actually, the majority of the palm rest was not warm (it was quite nice and cool). It was only the touchpad itself and the area immediately surrounding the touchpad, including the area between the touch pad and the spacebar as well as the spacebar itself.

 

Appreciate the feedback superhob. I didn't notice the hot touchpad when I played with one at a Sony store...I can't imagine what would be under there that would be generating heat. Was a spot light shining on it??