The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Where are Sony laptops made these days?

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by Die, Oct 20, 2006.

  1. Die

    Die Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    11
    Messages:
    135
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Sorry if this has been asked before, but are they mostly now made in China and other parts of Asia/USA/Mexico, or do they still mostly make them in Japan? My VAIO Desktop from '04 was made in the USA with its parts/peripherals mostly made in China. I was wondering if it's extremely rare to still come across a "Made in Japan" laptop?

    I'm going shopping for a laptop this season and one of my primary points of interests is searching for a "Made in... X country" type of notice somewhere on the packaging before I decide to buy one at a store.

    Is there any way I can check to see where a laptop was made, on the box itself, before I buy it in a store, or will it not usually tell you that information anywhere outside of the box/stickers on it, and you won't be able to know unless you actually open it up/buy it?

    Thanks.
     
  2. drumfu

    drumfu super modfu

    Reputations:
    436
    Messages:
    3,651
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    105
    "made" is a very broad question...

    are you asking...

    1. where the motherboard was "made" ?
    2. where the HD was "made" ?
    3. where the LCD was "made" ?
    4. where the _________ was "made" ?
    5. where the one million and one parts that were made in multiple countries were assembled ?
     
  3. ivang

    ivang Company Representative

    Reputations:
    90
    Messages:
    290
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Sony does have a VAIO mnfr'ing plant is San Diego, CA now, where they do all the CTO's and qualify for "Made In USA" status. The non-CTO's state "Made in Japan" and a few of the AR Series state "Made in China".

    Hope this helps.
     
  4. outie

    outie Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    19
    Messages:
    195
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    You can always check the bottom of the laptop to see where it is made in (a correct term is probably where it was *last* assembled in).

    AFAIK, the TX, UX, and premium SZ series are all made in Japan. The FS was made in China, and the CTOs are made in USA. Some models (FJ?) that are made in China become made in Japan if you ordered and CTO'ed in Japan.

    This is based on the label on the bottom of the laptop, not specifically the components.

    I don't know about the other series.
     
  5. Vaio

    Vaio Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    -5
    Messages:
    86
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Custom made FEs are made in USA
    The battery is made in Japan

    but if u get one from the store..lets say Best Buy...then it is made in china
     
  6. Die

    Die Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    11
    Messages:
    135
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    OK: On the box of a notebook (the outer packaging containing the notebook) does it tell you what country it was made in somewhere? Becuase I plan to go to Best Buy/Circuit city and ask to look before I buy a notebook... I know my old VAIO PC had a label saying it was made in USA with parts made in other countries on the outer box itself. I just wanted to make sure if this was the case with notebook box packaging for Sony Vaio notebooks, before I make a fool of myself or something. :eek:

    Also yes, I realize that most of the parts are probably made in other countries...and it's just "assembled" in the country that they name on the laptop...but I'd just like to get one that's made in Japan..guess I'm picky.
     
  7. soccy

    soccy Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    -1
    Messages:
    79
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    My Futijsu was actually made in Japan. The third week I received it (shipped from Japan) one of the keys was broken; one and half year after, the screen went dark. Guess "made in japan" no longer means the same thing as it did 10 years ago.
     
  8. Vaio

    Vaio Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    -5
    Messages:
    86
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Buy from Sonystyle in order to get Made in USA

    If you buy from Best buy, etc....then it is made in China and u dont want that!
     
  9. Rahul

    Rahul Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    1,741
    Messages:
    6,252
    Likes Received:
    61
    Trophy Points:
    216
    Yes, I absolutely agree, my Lifebook P5020D was made mediocre, very flimsy and made in Japan as well.
     
  10. Ch28Kid

    Ch28Kid Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    124
    Messages:
    774
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    My fujitsu lifebook also made in Japan.

    SZ360 said its made it Japan on the back.
     
  11. NuntiusLuminis

    NuntiusLuminis Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    366
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    It is not especially important where an item is made.
    As long as the craftsmanship and quality of the item is on par with what the corporation advertises.
     
  12. maomanmaman

    maomanmaman Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    11
    Messages:
    263
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    It doesn't matter where it's made. Lenovos (IBM) are made in China and they're better than Sony. There are sony batteries made in japan that blow up like disguised grenades.

    Really, it depends on the brand.
     
  13. djmayhem

    djmayhem Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    -1
    Messages:
    44
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    my FE 38gp....is made in china...but amazingly the build quality is top notch !!!!
     
  14. Die

    Die Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    11
    Messages:
    135
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Since I made the topic, I wanted to respond to that.

    This has nothing to do with build quality. My Made in China Sony clock, and my Made in Mexico WEGA have been working perfectly for years, as has my my Made in Japan PlayStation 2. I wanted "Made in Japan" for other reasons, which are just simply personal in nature.
     
  15. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    7,857
    Messages:
    16,212
    Likes Received:
    58
    Trophy Points:
    466
    AFAIK almost all laptops are made in China, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Indonesia. I can't recall any laptop that has recently been produced in the US.

    Also, just because it is from China does not mean it is bad. HP Compaq business laptops, Dell Latitudes, Apple MacBooks, and even the Sony laptops are shipped from overseas.

    So don't falsely advertise.
     
  16. xufuchang

    xufuchang Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    i think there not a big problem made in china or not, the quality is internarnational quality right.
    why made in china? because the factory base in china.
     
  17. FiReWoLf

    FiReWoLf Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    443
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Dont mean to be rude, but not all items made in China are bad. Yes, my HP dv6000t is assembled in China.
     
  18. elizabex

    elizabex Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    86
    Messages:
    424
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I don't think anyone answered this ---- but yes, the outside of the box of my SZ360P/C says:

    Made in Japan
    Battery Pack: Made in Japan
    AC Adapter: Made in China
    Power Cord: Made in China
     
  19. zeeshann

    zeeshann Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I am a hard core user of laptops. don't even remember how many brands have i kept, sold, bought, traded! And now here i don't feel any hesitation in saying that made in japan are the ones that shows you what really a sony vaio machine is? I have used all the three manufactures like japan, china and usa and by far the most I liked was the one made by USA. Then a japanese and the least category was chinese made. Although there are significant difference in all the three brands but the most obvious was the screen quality. Japanese made VAIO has the greatest screen quality than any other laptop till this day. Their xbrites and now LED backlight with xbrite are amazing. A very lil example can prove what I am saying. When ever u see two vaio laptops with same specs and same model but different manufactures, just compare their screen quality. Japanese model won’t let any body win. Same goes for speed and don’t know why? Like both have the same ram, hard drive, and processor but still a japanese model will be evidently faster and you will never know why? this paper can go on for ever talking about my experiences with laptops but i think some other day. For now….stay away from chinese made vaio. If you have to buy a chinese computer….buy Thinkpad.
     
  20. Nanaki

    Nanaki Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    25
    Messages:
    501
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    As long as you are covered by warranty, and it is not a hassle to make a claim, then who cares where it is made.