Z1 owners, what is your next laptop?

My Z1 is near the end of its life (breaking up internally at the right hinge, and might be too expensive to fix it) so am looking at buying my next laptop.

Z2 keyboard has very little travel and feels more like a touchscreen keyboard rather than a physical keyboard and hence rules it out for me.

SE is a reasonable compromise of weight and screen real estate, but the off center keyboard bugs me.

SA, i used to hate it because its screen wasnt the same quality as the Z1, but i cant seem to find a better allround option than this at this point.

I didnt want to post it in the general "what notebook should i buy" because i wanted to hear more specifically from the ex-Z1 owners about what laptop they moved on to.

 

I have the same problem with you. I didn't find any detailed review about the new Sony SA3 models. I prefer SA3, though.

 

I still keep & use my VAIO Z13 notebook, but I've also "half" moved to a new Apple 17" MBP. I know that the size differences between those 2 notebooks are "humongous" but I love both of them equally.

 

I only recently got a brand new Z13, so I'm not moving for now. I'm hoping Sony will do better with the next S-series (display-wise) and better with the next Z-series (feature-wise). Otherwise it'll be a MacBook Pro. I can't live without a good display anymore.

It's a bit like earbuds or headphones. Once you had something high-end, you can never go back.

 

My z1 is doing ok at the moment (fingers crossed), I think my mach composite case has helped... But I am also looking for my next laptop...
The problem with owning a Z is that no other laptop can compare in terms of screen, portability and battery life... I think I may go with the Z2, but have not tried out its keys in person...
The SA looks okay but the added weight and bulk with slice battery would probably not work for me...
But you should get an estimate from sony on the hinge... I cant see it being that expensive to fix.

 

Perhaps a 15" Macbook Pro, considering those have quad cores.

 

just curious, how long does it take for the hinges to go bad, i'm still wondering if i should get the 2yr extd wty w/ accidental damage or not. currently, i purchased the 1yr extd wty only.
my order at sonystyle was placed on 10/14 and it shipped on 10/17. thinking i might still have a chance of upgrading the warranty since its not 30 days yet.

 

My Z1 is probably in 99.5% brand new condition, all i've ever had to do is twice tighten one of the hinges. I also only ever carry it around in a hardcase and treat her like my 2nd child. I can't say it leaves me wanting for more power, although I do wish at times it had slightly better battery life (i refuse to get an extended battery as a solution) althoug not enough to want to replace it just yet. The flexability of being able to upgrade internal storage myself to 2x1.8" + 1x2.5" along with the other Z perks makes it unbeatable for me atm. Maybe a haswell based Z could dethrone it in a couple years

 

Well put... but I like my extended battery, everything else goes the same for me though.

 

though i only got my Z1 for half a year, i dont see myself getting a new one unless it breaks down. i rarely use the dedicated card, and my biggest beef with the Z1 now is the battery life like many have said.

that said, if my Z1 blows apart today, i would certainly consider the Z2 but its pretty pricey so i will prolly wait until it drops in price or on clearance (when Z3 comes). the keyboard issue isnt a problem for me because im used to the acer timeline keyboards which is pretty much flat

but given the price of the Z2, if i must buy a laptop tomorrow to replace the Z1 i will prolly go back to the acer timeline laptops or possibly some of the ultrabook offerings (such as the asus zenbook), depending on the price and battery life performance

 

My Z1 is ~1 1/2 years and after a few months I dropped it about 1m. It was in a backpack with not much protection, landed left side down and bent the charger input edge ~3-4 mm downwards. Charging still works, the hinge also works as before, so apart for some sharp edges between the casing and the hinge that are now scraped smooth, and the left speaker sloping a bit to the left, it looks fine.

From this, I'd think my left hinge has been abused more than most, but it works flawlessly anyway.

My Z1 makes my workdays extremely smooth. I work as an external consultant and all internal computers are dead slow in comparison.

I recently realized there might be a replacement Z and I saw the Z2, but I'll probably wait for a Z3 since I have no complaints whatsoever about my Z1 and I probably won't have for quite some time.

 

Well to be honest, I'll probably use the Vaio Z128 for at least the next 2-3 years.

However, if I had to ... my requirements are SSD drive and a top quality screen. I would have considered the Asus UX31 (albeit the screen may be subpar) or one of the Lenovo X models, with the latter being the more likely purchase.

Alternatively there is the Macbook Air.

The new Z2 does not appeal to me. The PMD, reduced key travel etc... I don't see why they decided to change a 'it's not really broken' design.

 

Z2 has short keyboard travel distance. A bit like the X model. Z1 keyboard so far has been the best for me (compared to SZ). My biggest gripe with the Z1 is the faded palm rest despite little use of keyboard. Else so far i am quite happy.
No other laptop manufacturers that i know of has brilliant FHD displays like Sony does. So there are little to no options out there for me in terms of immediate future replacement.

 

My next is a Mac. ban me from the forums please.

 

You know, I am itching for something new, but not only do I lack a need to justify it (which has never stopped me before ) but I have come to the same conclusion as many: there is nothing out there now that wouldn't entail more sacrifice than improvement.

It drives me nuts that no other computer I'm aware of has ever had all of these, except the Z1:

1) 13-14" display

2) high end display (minimum: 900p, 300 nit, 500:1 contrast, 75% color gamut, semi-matte)

3) space for two mass storage devices (and for now, I still prefer one to have an optical drive option)

4) 3 ports, at least one USB3 or eSATA/USB - Z1 doesn't have, but see #5, below

5) Express Card Slot; hate to think this awesome feature is dying on the vine. What genius decided this single most useful port on a laptop is not needed anymore?

6) backlit keyboard

7) interchangeable batteries (std & hi capac)

8) Weight under 4 lbs w/std batt

What have I missed? (With SB cpu/gpu, I no longer think a discrete gpu is a "must" at this size class.) The Z1 has every one of the above except a fast data port, but the EC slot cures that. Does anyone know another laptop that comes close? What confounds me is that other than the display, none of the eight features cited above are very costly to include. The Z is ultra-expensive because it's a Z, not because it is the only intelligently designed sub-notebook.

 

Done. Actually, notwithstanding ^, I want a Mac too - just don't want one made by Apple, nor do I want OSX! (it's the quality, stupid )

 

No screen in subcompact is going to be as good as the Z's. If you want a Z quality screen, you have to get a Z. There should be plenty of Z1s for sale in good shape.

 

Personally, if sony released a 15 inch with the same density as the Z i would buy that... and make sure it's in notebook shape, not noteclams like the Z1... Z2 shape then. And it doesn't have to be so thin, it could be up to 1 inch... just fit some beefy quad-core and like 16GB of ram, and a dedicated gpu with IPS screen of 1080p res ofc. But they just seem to focus on having the best 13 incher, and never tackled the other sizes probably because there is only market share for powerful ultraportables... guess that size range is already saturated by lenovo and toshiba. If you want that buy a ugly thinkpad is probably the saying?! i like sony. i want to have a sony workhorse and ultraportable. But current offerings do not ignite my tastebuds..

 

Fingers crossed the Z3 is a legitimate replacement to the Z1...

 

Wow, that's so weird. I have the same model as OP, a VPCZ122GX/B which I bought a year and a half ago, and it's still pretty much like-new in my books. Then again, people would think I'm a freak if they were to see how carefully I treat my laptops.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure my next laptop will be a some sort of future MacBook (Air or Pro).

 

Sorry to be obnoxious and bump my own post, but since no one responded:

Ironically, the Z1 doesn't cost so much because it has all these features absent the screen, which is better than my spec, above); it costs so much only because it's a Z! Someone else could make a notebook with all of the above and sell it for under $1,500 new.

Anyone have thoughts about this?

 

You can stop right there.

Okay, perhaps adding the "3lbs weight" clause might be needed to eliminate a few 5+ lb monsters with high end 13-14" displays.

Edit: I would argue the 13" MBA is the only potential contender with its 1440x900 screen. I suppose it's more practical than Z's 1080p screen anyway.

 

+1 The extended battery is awesome. Props the keyboard up too!

 

I think when it comes to comparing price, it is important to note when & where the particular VAIO Z notebook is being bought & the config that it comes in.

I mean there are huge differences in pricing between those when bought new while they are still the current models & those that are on "clearance" (plus coupons can be used in certain periods of time) in the Sony online refurb store. Obviously, if one is able to snag a VAIO VPCZ1 notebook around the range of $900-$1,500, the pricing of the VAIO Z notebook is without a doubt very competitive & can even be considered "cheap" given its superior design, components, materials used, etc., but if one is talking about the top of the line signature model that sells for $4,500 or even VAIO Z models like the VPCZ13KGX/X that I currently owns which costs me around $3,050, then I don't think one will say that this is not very, very expensive for the features that they come with.

Worse of all, in my case, the resale value s**ks too. I've only had my VAIO Z13 notebook since May of this year (approximately 6 months of ownership as of today) & I think I'll even struggle to get $1,500 if I sell it now, which is already a 50% loss....

 

^You are making quite an assertion there. I think (actually I know) you'd be quite surprised if you knew how much the Z costs to build.

 

I agree regarding screen, though the MBA's 900p screen can't hold a candle to the Z's 900p. Still, if you look at my list, the MBA is missing a number of the other must-haves, for me at least. If it involved fewer compromises, I would buy it in a heartbeat - as much as I try to never buy Apple products .

Just to be clear, I wasn't saying the Z is "cheap, just that the feature set is not, per se, the basis of its higher cost. I'm thinking even a Thinkpad X1, with a better screen and battery, and a second drive bay, would be an ideal small laptop, and it should cost no more than $1,200-$1,500 at street price. This is but one of so many examples in the market that are near misses. Why Lenovo and others always miss the chance to to get it all right, I can't begin to fathom. Only Apple has an excuse: they're arrogant by design.

Beaups, I don't doubt that the Z costs a lot to build, but I don't think the cost is substantially higher because it has all of the features I cited ^, but because it is BOTH a high-end design AND a fully featured model. I would be fine with a "lesser" design that still had all the features in my list. Many models come close for half or less the price of the Z, but their near-misses involve comprises I prefer not to have to make.

I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but the point of my OP was that the Z1 happens to be so hard for me to give up because of its long list of standard features, none of would cost very much to add to many other less classy but fully functional laptops, the Lenovo X1 plus tweaks being my best example. Still think I'm missing a point here?

 

My next laptop upgrade will be a Sony Z. It may be some time until Sony produce something as good as the Z13 though.

 

Goods are priced at what consumers are willing to pay for. Sure, cost of production are taken into account but it alone does not determine the market price. Branding is what manufacturers count on to extract as much premium as it can.

I am totally confounded by the lack of good displays with FHD on the market. It seems Sony has their own production capability with these panels and do not oem them to other other laptop manufacters.

 

I have the VPCZ11 the HDD version with 1600*900 screen not the 1900*1080 on the top of the range. and for me I've only had it 6mths or so.

And still there is nothing I've seen that will make me want to change. Plus the addition of the fact I can upgrade and add a SSD in the future to add even more speed, well what other laptop can I do that and keep my current HDD in for extra storage.

Not tired the keyboard on the z2 but I absolutely love the keyboard on the z13

 

There are past threads in this forum on just this question (FHD vs. 900p) so you might want to search them out. From my recollection, I think Z owners are about 60/40 split (in favor of the FHD) as to which screen they prefer - it is not a better/worse thing, each has pros and cons.

Regardless, either Z screen is so much better than anything in it's size class that the choice between the two becomes one of two giants in a field of pygmies (hope the PC police won't get me for saying that!)

 

.....10char

 

Like many on this thread, I have pretty much decided to stick with the Z1 for at least another year. My Z11 is just fine and looks brand new but it is 18 mos. old and I'm aware that age can take its toll on such things as the SSDs, hinges, all internal components from years of exposure to heat, etc.

By a stroke of luck, I found and bought a Z13 "open box" never used, full new Sony wtty at an excellent price. It's beautiful black, CF lid, has an i7-640, 256GB SSD and WWAN.

I am strongly inclined to keep the new one and can probably sell my Z11 for enough to make the exchange nearly free. Still, questions remain:

1) heat and battery life differences i7 vs i5; are they significant?

2) SSDs: 384GB (old) vs. 256GB (new); Samsung vs. Toshiba; ZIF connector vs. mSATA, 1.5 yrs of use versus "virgin"

3) Silver hides wear; black shows scratches and fades on palm rests.

4) Greed warning: nice profit to be made re-selling the open box one (but only to raise funds to move further up to a Z2 )

Feedback much appreciated.

Thanks.

 

I'm actually debating whether or not I want another laptop when mines dies. It all depends on technology, wether or not tablets will be powerful enough to accompany me on the road (I have a desktop at home). Tegra 3 is looking promising, but I want to see what happens when it comes out (Transformer Prime is very interesting). Also, it depends on the battery life of laptops in the future (and cost). For the cost of a Vaio Z2, I can get a NICE desktop + a NICE tablet which will do what the Z2 can do and do some things even better

 

I have yet to see a tablet, even on a drawing board, which would be adequate for a laptop's most basic function, writing.

 

^I agree. Not even useful for me for surfing the web on the couch like I am now. Awkward to hold. I have several (a lot) of tablets - and never ever use any of them. I don't care if they put a core i7 in them, the software is lousy and the form factor stinks. Just my $.02

 

Couldn't agree more - see my sig!

Now, would one of you fine people tell me what you think I should do with my old and new Z1s? (see 4 posts up)

 

I just pulled the trigger on a Lenovo W520 to replace my Z 750d. My Z is still in great condition; and I also have two unused batteries, two travel chargers, and an extra premium slipcase. I assumed I would hold on to it for a long time, but some of my work requires that I step up to something with a quad core and an SSD.

 

When do you all think we could reasonably expect to see a Z3? Or at least see it announced?

 

Did they have any more open box Z13's?? I'm looking for one!

 

Well, my parents got a Asus Transformer with the keyboard dock and it's fairly capable... with 15 hours of battery life approximately. In any case, I'm interested in what happens with Windows 8... seems like a dud, but I'll keep my eyes on that just in case.

 

Transformer + keyboard dock = laptop wannabe.

 

^Right why not just pick up a $300 netbook and an extended battery? I don't get tablets and I REALLLYYYY don't get tablets once you turn it into a laptop form factor.

 

My March 2010 Z119GX still going strong and still practically new (only had to do the loose hinge repair). Then again, my Sony VGN-S260 is also practically new except needs a new battery.

As nice as VAIOs have been, especially the Z, not looking forward to Sony's continued policy of not ever updating the graphics drivers. That's about impetuous enough to suck up Apple's deficiencies and switch to a MBP/MBA because the hardware will just work and stay supported -- even with Win7 on it. Some of my work requires I keep up with graphics tech -- OpenGL.

Sony consistently forgets it needs to build a platform instead of chucking out newer bricks.

 

Reminded me of this

 

Your comment is a little late. Not that sony updates drivers NEARLY enough, Z2 owners just got an update. And it updated OpenGL with it.

 

I'll shortly be in the process of tossing out my Z13's that I still kept in reserve after buying the initial batch of Z2's. 100% of the replacements will be Z2's.

I don't like the keyboard as much either (though it doesn't affect my typing accuracy or speed I note - but it just doesn't feel quite right for sure) and the IGP drivers still need work, plus the cosmetics are still as issue-laden as many Sony's have been in the last few years, but the 2 improves very notably in the key areas for me of weight and runtime while not compromising on general-purpose performance when actually portable.

Mind you, this is far from my only machine - and furthermore each machine won't be my only Z2 - so my usage experience will be different to a lot of people I'm sure.

For a relatively short while I had the current, flagship-spec Air's in 11 & 13" flavours as my primaries - but managed to remove my mobile dependence on OS X in time for the Z2 cutover. Glad that's over and I'm back to something that's less of a trinket than a tool for getting stuff done on.

I get the feeling there's at least one poster hanging around on this thread who's basically justifying the fact that he can't upgrade by saying he isn't going to upgrade. If you bought the Z1 for the reasons it was originally superior, the Z2 still retains - and improves on - most of those attributes.

 

Good point, except unless you use linux on your netbook, it's pretty annoying to use say win 7 on a netbook, just too slow. And I don't mind the IPS panels on the tablets, nor the touchscreen which is perfect for media consumption. Tablets are HORRIBLE for media creation, but when I'm outside my apartment, I could live with a tablet for media consumption, web surfing and simple note taking. But i digress, if you need to get work done on the go, there's no substituting a light portable laptop like the Z. (I do wish Sony would come out with a tablet laptop like the x220t w/ 1080p and IPS but i'm just dreaming now)

 

Waiting for Lenovo to come out with an IPS screen equivalent in quality to the Sony Vaio Z series ... probably in th x220 range.

But as I use my notebook only for internet/email/Lightroom and MS office I don't really see the need to upgrade before the end of the warranty (I have 2 more years) unless there is a catastrophic failure

 

Go ahead and use my screen name; everyone knows you were referring to me and anyway, I've never been all that big on anonymity. Tact, on the other hand, that's a value I live by. (In case you don't prefer to click on the word, here's the first dictionary definition: 1. Acute sensitivity to what is proper and appropriate in dealing with others, including the ability to speak or act without offending.

Just to be clear, I run my own company and I can buy any computer I want. At present I own 7, 3 of them Z1s, which does indeed make it absurdly self-indulgent to buy a new $4,000 toy I truly don't need without at least selling a couple of the many I already own. (Especially with 3 kids in college and my demands on them for austerity.)

But if you read my earlier posts - and those of many others earlier in the thread - you wouldn't make the absurd statement, "the Z2 retains - or improves upon - most [of the virtues of the Z1.]" It fails to retain a large number of key "virtues" (which I've previously deliniated) that I, and over 50% of the people responding, consider deal-breakers.

But here's the only thing that really does upset me about your post, which I otherwise only disagree with. You clearly inferred I could not afford to buy a Z2 and so was rationalizing sticking with the Z1 to conceal that fact. If this was the case, wouldn't it have been an incredibly insensitive and mean-spirited thing to say when everyone would know you were referring to me? Please tell me you don't feel elevated by pointing out the misfortunes of others.

 

I do agree: the convertible tablet/PC with dual digitizer (pen and touch) is a great piece of gear and I've owned many. You get a full fledged Windows laptop plus a touch screen and a stylus for notes or drawings. And most of them made today can be ordered with an IPS or AFFS screen, but only at 1280X800 or the dreaded 1366X768. I don't think anyone has made an LCD digitizer with near the density of 1080p, and I think it would be cost prohibitive. The other problem is that the swivel hinge and extra weight of the screen from two digitizer layers add some weight. It's really an entirely different animal than an iPad-type tablet, though. The touch screen may get a big boost in popularity when Windows 8 is commercially launched, as it is designed to be touch enabled more so even than keyboard oriented.