Will there be a new Sony Z soon?

Surely Sony can't carry on refreshing the same model for too much longer? For existing Z owners, there's no real incentive to 'upgrade' to newer models as it's essentially the same machine. What do you think?

 

i dont think it would be too soon to be last unit, unless Intel producing some new mobo along with processors for portable notebook.

ps: Z is really a beautiful machine.

 

I want to get the current Z model for Christmas, but I definitely do not want to get it if they're just going to make a new one within the next few months. I've never owned a Sony (2 Toshibas and 1 Gateway), but how often do they release new models for their current lineup?

 

You will see a "refresh" when Windows 7 is released (perhaps more ram, larger hard drive etc, everything else the same such as the video card). I don't believe - there is no evidence - of another refresh in December.

 

Z51's were announced last week. Same chassis etc, just includes Win7 Pro (64-bit)

http://www.sony.co.uk/product/vn-z-series/tab/models

VGN-Z51XG/B & VGN-Z51WG/B

 

So no chance of a completely new redesign of it anytime soon, then?

 

No.................

 

Vaio does not redesign the same laptop lines. If anything different looking is going to come out, it's going to be a completely new line.

 

Sony refreshes VAIO models quarterly. The life cycle of each series depends on the roadmap of Intel Centrino platform. I would strongly recommend you wait until Sony announces new series with the Calpella platform with core i7 mobile processors. By then SLIC 2.1 and Windows 7 are surely guaranteed. Furthermore, the current Z series comes up with 9300M GS, which is a one year old graphics card already, and not that worth buying at the moment.

 

I think until now there is anythink heard about new cpu core i7. NOw models are announced but nothink about new cpu's. I also waiting for new z. I think it will at the beggining of 2010

 

What I seriously want is a Vaio laptop that looks kind of like the new CW, except lighter and much slimmer. It has to have the cigar hinge, too. I like the cigar hinge

 

i want the same, but also with mobile broadband and high performance with screen 13-14" 1600x900
BUT its kind difficult

 

IMHO, if you are going to wait till like mid/end of Dec., I'll recommend that if possible, wait for a further 1-3 months.

I believe that we're likely going to see the successor to the Vaio Z notebook at that time. This is based on my assumption that once the current motherboard of the current Vaio Z notebook cannot support the newest CPUs & that Sony has to do a redesign of the motherboard to fit the new CPUs, then they'll also take the opportunity to do a redesign of the whole Z series as well.

 

I agree with you. I have an idea. Sony is reading for sure, so describe the best new Z for you.....

 

I don't think there will be any changes too drastic, if any.

...but my dream machine (not restricted to the Z) would have the following improvements(?) in no particular order:

-OLED!!!
-No optical (thus design it thinner and lighter)
-Core i5 / i7 / i9 (with mobile TDP)
-Designed with a thin SSD (SLC) in mind, not a thick HDD
-No battery drain
-Squeakless & non-sticky keys (minor issue, but bothersome none the less)
-Updated GFX-card
-Quieter fan (maybe combine a fan with the cooling tech they tried with the X505)
-User friendly SSD bay
-Change plastic frame under keyboard to aluminium (anything but plastic)
-Convert plastic hinge tube to either aluminum (again, plastic = cheap, its a premium brand, I will spend more if the money is well spent)
-increase battery size and capacity by incorporating TZ hinge design, it looks more edgy with the TZ design anyways (where the battery filled in the center gap between the hinges)
-More freedom in the BIOS (restrictions based on profit and marketing is doing more bad than good...yes customers are STILL always right)
-Stay away from illuminated keyboards (subjective, but I dont want any power spent on these trendy ideas; only time I might find this useful is if I am: James Bond / Ethan Hunt / unable to pay my electric bill / in a power outage / outside in the middle of nowhere at night (then again, my laptop would be the least of my concern / showing off / at Dennis' house; so basically never...lol)

...all on the Z platform

and if they do make a new flagship model based on the Z, I hope to see the following features replicated:

-cigar hinge design
-I/O led
-Sony VAIO signature grey/purple keyboard on their 1st gen Z (subjective: but black looks too plain/bland for their flagship, kinda looks less exclusive with the black keyboard, I mean almost all laptops out there have black keyboards)
-Ventless bottom (hence the meaning of a "lap"top)
-13.1 inch 16:9 display

 

what is...this?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_lOX6AGiRp...f6g8cKY/s1600-h/vaio_wallpaper_z_series_a.jpg

 

isnt that one of the old vaio series from 06-07~ .. i forgot. someone help me

 

I just checked SonyStyle USA, and their Z is all sold out. You can't customize it either. New Z?

 

Just new updated version with Win7...

 

Dream Z:

Discard optical drive - this is completely useless! Get an external bluray drive instead.

Give options to enable illuminated keyboard.

Upgrade the one-year-old graphics card to something else, preferably something like ATI 4570.

Enhance battery life further.

Load 2 x Intel X18-M 320G to setup a 640G Raid 0.

 

Don't forget Core i5 Also, if they should ever decide to remove the optical drive, they should enable quad raid as an option That should make the Z the most expensive slim & lite ever.

 

Yeah, that's why I posted this thread. I thought they were releasing a new one or something.

I've seen the Z in stores before and its screen is so flimsy. I always ask the reps questions about it, like "Is this a durable laptop?" Since they want you to buy it they always say a universal yes, so then I flex the screen in front of them and they go . So if Sony makes a new Z-like model, I'm hoping they make the screen unflexible. Adding several more ounces to the weight isn't going to kill them if it means a stronger laptop.

Okay, so then wait until January for a new Z-like laptop? I'm still confused on how Sony does new releases.

 

Yes the screen is flexible, but Sony designed it that way. Sony even made videos of the Z in testing, it is very durable. Coming by Oct. 22 will probably be a new Z with Windows 7, then in early 2010 there will either be a new Z or its successor featuring Arrandale processors.

Website with Z durability testing

From this thread

 

Hmmm, try not to directly associate strength with rigidity. Note that increased elastic compliance is the most weight effective way of improving tangent rigidity, considering Sony are already using one of the highest specific modulus materials known to man, short of carbon nanotubes.

This is opposed to the surprisingly heavy MacBook Air (considering), which has to have a screen that rigid and thick to accommodate it's ridiculously glossy and fragile glass screen. And the reason for all that? because Jon Ive likes glass and aluminium.

I say trust the Sony engineers. The Z has been out for over a year and I don't think there has been any reports on this forum of a cracked screen (has there been?).

 

Plastic?

If you believe that the lid is made from carbon fibres, you're sadly mistaken. If it had been a real laminated carbon fibre weave, you would have had a point. It isn't, and you don't. It's a plastic lid with recycled milled carbon fibres added to the mix. It gains some of the weight benefits of the lighter graphite, and it looks good (ooh, sparklies!). And recycling is good for the environment. However, it doesn't improve the tensile strength, cause the carbon fibres are chopped up and free floating. If anything, it increases rigidity slightly while reducing tensile strength.

 

So you're saying carbon fiber has to be woven to be "real"? Most high performance applications actually use unidirectional pre-impregrated carbon fiber, which is not "woven" at all. It is typically held together with a scrim bonding or feint, resin-soluble adhesive, or in the case of pre-pregs it is held together by the highly viscous pre-cured resin itself.

You know, of course, that "Carbon Fiber" is a term loosely used to describe "Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics" or CFRPs? so, yes, technically Boeing 787s are made out of plastic too.

can you tell me where you got this information? I'd like to know. I suspect you heard that with reference to the chassis, rather than the lid, which is clearly continuous, unidirectionally-oriented fiber.

Actually the density of the plastic (polymer resin, epoxy) is typically lower than the carbon. Actually around 60% the weight - so the carbon makes it denser for a given volume.

The sparkles are from the paint of the premium finish models. Typically, CFRPs have no sparkling luster at all, unless the fibers are exposed.

CFRPs take a lot of criticism because they present risk of mesothelioma resulting from inhalation of the short fibers when sent to landfill and crushed or similarly recycled.

So even if it were a short strand composite, then your argument is that the addition of short strand carbon Fibers to thermoset polymers actually *reduces* tensile strength. Well, anyway, beyond a certain aspect ratio, the pull-out force of an individual filament far exceeds the tensile strength of the fiber itself. Short fiber composites suffer little disadvantage compared with continuous fiber composites in terms of mechanics performance, other than the fact that the ability to orient the fibers uniformly becomes very difficult.

Anyway, despite all that, the fibers are uniformly oriented, so we know it's not a random fiber composite, and secondly Sony claim it's a multilayer construction, so we know subsequently it's a laminated, unidirectional fiber reinforced composite. Remember we are talking about the lid, not the injection molded chassis, which is indeed random fiber.

ps, sorry for going off-topic.

 

You've never once supported any of your assertions with any evidence, despite many people asking and many people refuting your claims. Not all laptops are made of recycled carbon fibres, maybe the cheaper ASUS versions but definitely not on a high end. Again, source?

 

A completely different product from what's being used by Sony (and for a completely different use too, unless you really aim for a screen lid that's near impossible to stretch in a single direction).

A key word here being "reinforced". Airplane parts are reinforced with long (usually woven for cross strength) fibres. They don't have milled fibre, which isn't considered CFRP (although often marketed with the "carbon fibre" moniker).

Have you even seen a Z? Exposed milled carbon fibres is exactly what causes the sparkle.

Clearly, you don't own a Z, like I do. The finish on the "premium" lid has received a brushing, which means very shallow grooves in one direction, but the graphite fibres do indeed point in all directions -- use a magnifying glass, and you can clearly see the individual tiny chopped pieces of graphite.

 

I'm not going to play your game in this forum. PM me if you want to learn about composites.

 

VAIO X is more thinner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUynGW2Vv9Q

But I don't like the touch panel on VAIO X....

 

I hope new z will the same design with x series. its beautiful thin and light

 

Just took out my LED lid magnifying glass. The fiber looks pretty unidirectional to me (I have the premium carbon fiber finish). I assume the blue sparks and the red tint are from the surface treatment?

 

When I took apart the Z to apply thermal paste, I noticed that the optical took a huge portion of the space inside. Not to mention the optical is thicker than most of the components inside.

Since most people don't use their optical more than 5-10x a year and wouldn't mind having an external for when they do need it, I don't see why they can't use the space saved to make the system thinner, by spreading the multi-layered motherboard inside.

I would love to see this more than the X, although the X is thin and light, I just don't see the atom / 11.1 inch (display and keyboard) that workable for the whole day like I can with the Z; not to mention a p8600 cpu dominates the atom (I can get 8-9 hrs easily on a full charge just doing office work).

 

nowadays the internal optical drives are fazing out, just like what happened with the floppy drive. I definitely agree that there should ditch it all together and opt for an optional external.

 

If mini-discs became a standard I don't think we would really be having this conversation. A mini blue-ray disc could easily have plenty of space on it yet save a lot of space...

Just a thought.

 

I would still not buy a laptop as my main laptop that did not come with a internal dvd drive. A lot of people in the business sector still need built in drives.

 

You can get an external.

 

It's true, I only use mine perhaps one a month. It is because I use it so rarely and in unpredicted situations, that I would have to carry around the external all the time in case one of those rare situations in which I needed it was that day. If I was carrying around the external all the time, I'd much prefer to have the neater solution of having it internal.

 

I think if there is an internal DVD that is replacable with a battery (an option of a lot of Notebooks, but not the Sony Z) it could be OK for both of you.

One feature that I hope to get in the next Sony Z: support of 2560*1600 pixel monitor through DVI-D on the docking station.

On change of design: the fingerprint reader not near by the mouse but on the right of them (like Dell E-Series).

On option that I am searching for (but maybe it exist already): external Keyboard with key like the Sony and an integrated fingerprint reader where I can use the same software and the same registered fingerprints as with the integrated fingerprint reader.

 

Mobiel i5 is still useless to me, since the TDP is still too high for a laptop.

 

backlight keyboard also is must

 

Really? The TDP of the mobile Core i5 processors is 35W, 25W for the 32nm cpu and 10W for the 45nm gpu.

 

z is still insanely overpriced

 

How so? I haven't found any other laptops that have its features. (Though maybe I'm not looking in the right places.)

 

i guess its all relative, i just dont find any of its features worth that much money to me

they should merge the sr and z, and start at the sr base price, and allow for upgrades to all the higher end things the z allows

 

I am so tempted to buy the Z right now... Someone talk me out of it [or into it ].

 

I am currently weighing up the z as a replacement for my three year old sz3, courtesy of a juicy insurance cheque. Strangely, the sz was split into the sr and z models a couple of years back, don't see why though as it was a great machine...

Z51 or 13" Macbook pro...

 

The Z is unique in what it does. Nothing has the specs it does, and if you look around you will find it is also note to badly prices (I can see it for around 1600-1700). Sure there are lots of laptops that are cheaper, but do they weight 1.5kgs? Do they have switchable graphics and have that sort of battery life? Are they made to the same quality and durability?

The biggest issue with Sony is the software. They made extremely good hardware, but bad drivers and bad support for OS's. They have a habit of including a lot of crapware, and when you are paying that sort of money, you shouldn't be getting it.

The reason I am waiting to buy is the new intel platform that is coming in January and because the GPU is a little slow for what I want (the 9300 now 2 gens old).

 

I'm not very computer technical - could you explain this last point? This is what I kept reading throughout the forums and I wasn't sure what it meant. As it stands, if they are coming out with something new in the next few months, I can and most likely should wait. What is the new Intel platform? What's GPU? What's 9300? Should I wait for these - are they worth waiting for? Sorry, I probably sound so stupid to you guys. I know how to work computers extremely well, but when it comes to the hardware side I don't know anything. XD

 

Do you know what the benefits of the arrandale chip are supposed to be? I keep hearing different information, and I'm trying to weigh whether it is worth waiting for it or not. I'm also strongly considering buying a Z in December.

I only visit the states once or twice a year, and these computers are even more insanely expensive where I live (Southern Africa region). I hate my current laptop, but I could potentially tolerate it for another 7 months or so beyond December (i'll likely be back in the states in August 2010 for a visit).

But if the benefits of the arrandale are only going to be slight, then I think I'll just buy now. For the GPU, it's not such a big issue for me...I'm not a gamer, and the only graphics intensive things I do are on Photoshop (which I think the current GPU has no problem handling).