Z vs SB?

I made a post in the past, but what I still don't understand is: how is the new SB 13.3" Core i7 Laptop | VAIO® S Series Laptop | VPCSB1BGX/B | Sony USA not better than the Z in every way shape or form? Besides maybe the brightness, the SB is pretty hot. Does it have any throttling issues? Also, isn't the video card better than the one in the Acer 3830, which is irrelevant anyway because the 3830 throttles like a biatch. Also, shouldn't throttlestop stop throttling? Sorry, its a lot, i know

 

no 1080p option as of right now. Bezel is large (IMO) and the screen is .2" larger, making the footprint of it more like a 14" (or a 13" MBP). Also, no barrel hinge, which i find sad as that was almost quintessential Sony for me. integrated battery (not easily removable). No vents on the bottom, potential heating issues. Batteries cant be removed when gaming = heated batteries which means faster battery degradation... in essence... it's a Sony take on a Macbook Pro... (I just realized everything i said can pertain to a 13" MBP)

 

SB: Better memory speed, GPU, durability, and marginally better CPU

Z: Everything else.

 

i don't get in what way the SB is better than the Z....

 

Well undeniably it's better in those areas I've just mentioned. The SB also comes in at a better price too, with a top config (in my country) costing ~2000 USD. My Z costed me 2600 USD, even without the blu-ray drive.

 

If you are only talking about performances, then yes, the SB is technically slightly better by around 10-15% on the CPU, ram speed and GPU. However, the SB doesn't really offer anything extra that the Z doesn't.

Where the Z is better is in the LCD and size. The LCD on the Z is one of the most beautiful on the market in terms of color and brightness, as well as being the only one available in full HD in that size. The LCD on the SB not only has low resolution, but it looks like ... and I'm not exagerating here. Colors are washed out, viewing angles are bad and brightness is very poor.

The reason why everyone seems to still recommend the Z over the SB, is that most users won't notice the slight increase in performance of the SB whereas there is huge difference in the quality of the LCD, size and weight.

 

^You left out the fragility too. Yes it's better, but it's much more fragile than the SB. If only the Z's screen had the strength of the SB then it'd be much more ideal.

 

I'm pretty sure that at some stage I'll need modded drivers, and since I have no clue how to mod ATi/AMD drivers I guess I'll stick with the Z.

 

note that the SB has better battery life and more powerful integrated graphics due to... well, SB (Sandy Bridge).

 

im right now trying to decide between SA vs new Z...

anyone know the pro/cons of that comparison?

 

The SA has built-in GPU and ODD.

If rumours pan out, the new Z will be lighter, have integrated graphics on-board, and an external GPU/ODD.

And you can get an SA now, whereas who knows when the Z will be available.

 

I've opted to order the new SA since I don't know when the Z will be out. If the SA turns out to have the screen I am hoping it should have (comparable to the discontinued Z 1600x900) I think I will be quite pleased with it. If the screen is as horrid as the SB screen I will return it.

 

SB is more on your budget range with almost the same specs as the Z , so far the SB's are not really stable since its a new model , but for now I've haven't had a problem with this SB im using now .

 

man idk if i should wait or not to see what this Z is going to look like....

i wish we had more solid info on it...

I still need to see the some reviews, especially on screen quality of the SA

and also need to see the price/config and quality of the Z compared to the SA...to be certain about my decision...

As of right now SA is my #1

 

I think I'll wait until the new Z. I love the LCD and for a 15% GPU increase its not worth it.

 

My VGN-Z570NB got replaced with VPCSB1BGX/B.

Everything you guys said is pretty accurate.

The SB's LCD is not in the same league as the Z's LCD, which is the best I've seen.
The Z's materials and finish level are much better. And in general, the Z looks better.

Besides that, the SB is amazing. It's far more solid than the fragile Z.
The fragility of the Z was a big issue for me and disturbed me a lot, especially when friends have the lenovo bricks or the solid macs. the SB is far better on this aspect and doesn't need a special care.

256GB SSD, 8GB ram, SandyBridge i7-2620M, AMD graphics, blu-ray makes this SB one of the best notebook in the market, if not the best.
1.7kg is not bad (my previous Z was 1.5...) and its not bad looking, just a bit simple.

The SB's fan is completely quiet most of the time, in opposed to the Z's.
When it works in full speed, it's noisy. But I didn't manage to reach that level a lot since I got the notebook 2 days ago.


I'm pretty happy with a notebook i can throw in my bag without worrying about its LCD so much.

If it only had the Z's LCD, I wouldn't miss the Z at all...
But since I connect it to external displays most of the time, it's ok.

 

^ The Z's fragility also ticks me off. I can't help not worrying about the Z's screen every day when a bump or little pressure is applied to it. I'm sure problems like dead pixels and screen bruises will surface in the not so distant future and will likely ruin my experience.

I am very sure my next laptop will not be a Z if it's priced just the same and retains its fragile screen. The only thing I'll probably miss is the 3 pound weight but I don't think I will have a problem carrying anything less than 6 pounds.

The SB has yet to be a worthy replacement to my Z though, but the much stronger screen actually made me think of replacing my Z for it. But like others said, and according to my observations the screen quality is definitely terrible.

 

I can tell you this,
unless you watch HD movies on the notebook's LCD, you can get used to any screen - including the SB's LCD, which is not THAT bad, its just basic.

And you calm you down,
after 3 years with the Z, and I did carry it with me to my studies, not even a single dead pixel. just the known ugly scratch.

After few days with the SB, I can fully recommend it.

 

Absolutely. When I first got my first Z, I didn't think the screen was good at all. It was too "harsh" coming from a X60. I much preferred my X60 screen. Now, whenever I power up the X60, I can't stand the screen. It's too dim and pastel as opposed to vibrant. It's all about what you get used to.

 

yeah this kinda worries me to...that's 1 reason why im consider the old Z model (nvidia 330m) instead of the new SA/SB (radeon 6630m)...though the extra performance would be nice....

than again the Z model display is just so much better...what to do what to do...

I'm waiting to see if the SA display is any better than SB..if not..i think ill get the old Z...maybe

 

Is there a way to get the new drivers for the Z and still use the stamina / speed / auto options just like it does now? I feel I could get much better GPU performance with modded drivers. I only really play SC2 on it and I OC the GPU 30%. It gets to about 87 C, which I've been told is okay and not life threatening.

 

Most recent release for hybrid setup (you refer to) is 263.14 from Andrew08: http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...vaio-z-s-hybrid-graphics-252.html#post7176699

 

The SB screen is terrible. I had an SB for a week and never found it to be remotely satisfactory.

 

When does your SA arrive so we can find out if the screen is better?

 

It is supposed to ship on the 9th. Hopefully in my hands by the 14th.

 

I don't understand, what's the difference between the SA and the SB?

 

basically the resolution on the screen was upgraded to 1600x900 (compared to 1366x786)...everyone is hoping the the overall display quality was also upgraded ..closer to what the Z series was (ie: one of the best on the market)....

 

Uhh the material of the SA is CFRP while the SB is just plastic or something i believe (the SA is lighter)

 

Is there ANY benefit to getting the SB over the SA? or is the SA better in EVERY way?

 

yeah you are correct, only that the material in the SB is aluminum and magnesium, and the material on the SC is plastic

 

it's cheaper price...that's about it...SA is better in just a few different ways..not many or every....