ummm...just to clarify [sz5 (aka sz6) in Australia]

Sony Australia has just released the new vaio SZ5 line of notebooks which are basically just the SZ6 with a different name, no carbon fibre (unless ur REALLY willing to pay for it) and no N-wireless.
However, i've just read this in the specifications for the SZ56:

I'm sure i'm interpreting it correctly but does this mean that for AU$2900 (~US$2400) i'm only getting 1GB RAM? Isnt vista recommended to have 2?

I wouldnt be so concerned except that vaios in australia aren't customisable like they are in the US. I've been waiting since june for them to release the SZ6 and now feel really disappointed.

Fellow Australians, post your discontent.

 

hello highwayman,
you've read correctly!. I recommend if you want the sony that badly and are willing to pay that price, import it!! you'll end up with 2G ram and a extended warranty to!! I've done the math and with a 10% import tax and customs costs it will work out roughly the same in price. BUT theres a bonus, if you order from the states you get a better system (as its the one you have custom built) and for the same price as the australian model (might even be cheaper) you can get the 3 or 2 year international shipping warranty which does not come bundled with the Australian released sony also!, the Aus release is only 1 year under warranty.

my problem is I can't justify (as a student) spending that kind of money on a laptop, I plan on travelling with the money I save instead and buying a USB HD I know I'm cheap but when I have the money I have expensive taste .

good luck

 

oh btw with the prices you get from sonystyle.com head to www.xe.com and convert the prices. This will help you a ton in regards to exchange rates!

I know I'm right as I've had a couple of sleepless nights over that puppy (sony SZ680). I really want it, just can't afford it!

all or nothing for some

 

...and it seems to only support up to 2GB Max, meaning 3GBs.

 

woo! replies

i've been using xe.com almost religiously over the last few hours.
i'm a student too, and have been saving for about 2 years for my new lappy. I've had my heart set on the US SZ6 and feel so bummed now that they didnt bring it to Aus.

could i ask, though, where i can order from? it seems sony US doesnt ship to Australia. Where is a reliable place?

 

Import is a option. Sony Australia just seems to market to cashed up yuppies and people who are easily parted with thier money for a brand name. 1GB Ram on a 3 Grand lappy for Vista is crazy.

If you want to order a SZ6 try conics.net in Japan. I have feeling the owner might be from Australian from reading the details provided on the website. Not ony that you can customise it too with english windows and keyboard. Don`t forget the import tax!

The only reason i could think of buying a Sony locally is for extended warrenty. Repairs usually sit near the $1grand mark without warrenty. Other than that their prices are madness for their arrogant customer support.

 

i never buy extended warranty anway, so i guess that isnt a huge incentive.

i do want SOME warranty, though. especially if i happen to get given a dud.

 

Does anybody have any suggested US sites that i could order an SZ6 from (with international warranty of some sort)

 

I think they called it Overseas warranty so you will be covered even
outside US. And you can purchased it on Sony Extended warranty
number and forgot to remember the number . Don't worry i look for
it and post it here.

 

If you want international warranty, your only real option is Conics.net.

I ordered my TZ through them with VOS and asked them to declare it with an $800 value. It all arrived here fine, without any extra taxes or duties.

 

www.compusa.com is the only one i know of

 

Oh, so conics will do that for you?
i was worrying about the taxes etc. They were going to send me over budget.

 

Hmm, wouldn`t that devalue the item for insurance purposes if something goes wrong in transit? Hmm sounds like a risk option.

 

They will, if you ask. You will be taking responsibility if the package is rejected, but I haven't heard of any of them being so.

And yeah, it means that insurance will only cover you for the valued amount. Although, I am a risk taker, so I was happy to undervalue and save over $400.

 

do you think they would issue me with two reciepts, one at something like $800 and the other at the actual purchase price?
that way id be covered for insurance, right?

 

No, it won't work that way. The insurance value is the declared value.

 

awww nuts

also, whats the difference between the standard and stick-style adapter offered by conics? is it just an aesthetic thing?

 

This is the normal, and this is the stick.

Personally, I would stick with the normal.

 

i think your confused...

sz58 comes with 2GB.... x8 models are always upspec'd.

the sz56 is the 1GB model.

 

But the stick is still the lighter of the two, right? and it has less tangly cords... so why not?

 

I've read that the weight difference is negligible.

I would choose the normal one because it will do the job fine, is not shiny, and costs less. As I said, it is a personal choice.

 

hello again, I recommend looking at the EXACT specs on the conics.com SZ's, I had a look a while ago and I remember something dodge about it. if you don't want to order from the states then get one from japan I guess. Also if your not to worried about waiting then get one from the US with the ACCIDENTAL SHIPPING warranty not the state warranty (its located at the bottom of the warrantys list on the US sight), but then again you said your not worried about warranties either.

The cheaper the better!

 

I'm not confused.
i realise that the 58 is 2GB but the price i quoted in the original post was for the SZ56


EDIT: i've been looking at the conics price and am not quite sure if i'm willing to risk the insurance by declaring the laptop at <$1K.
That considered, it works out about the same for me to buy the SZ58 from sonystyle.com.au (i have a few vouchers), but it's still too expensive.

Consequently, i have also been looking instead at the Lifebook S6410P or the ASUS W7S.

For a while though, i've been wanting to build a gaming desktop, so in reality will probably only need the laptop for portability and word processing etc (ie: uni stuff).
I liked the look of the ASUS U1F for this purpose but the lack of optical drive put me off it. With my vouchers i could get the TZ16 for about the same price as the U1F. THe advantage is that it has an optical drive (and it's a sony ). The downside is that it has slightly less RAM.

 

you dont want the stick adapter, the cord from where you plug into your laptop to the brick is too short, you'll have to keep it on the desk because it wont reach the floor