what do you think of the build quality of the sz?

i was in the virgin atlantic upper class lounge in london yesterday and they have a whole bar of sony "s" series computers. they felt much more solid then my sz 160p. i'm not talking about the lid more than i am about the plastic bits. my right hand side has a lot of play near the dvd drive, it almost feels like it will break off. both my hinges are loose (if you touch them theywiggle) although the screen feels ok. the upper left hand pastic also wiggles (near the esc key). and my space bar and enter key are very loose (although it behaves fine).

i have a couple of questions:

1. is this typical

2. if not do i have a claim with sony, and if i do what is the best approach

3. would it do me any good since there are no 160's around?

4. why would the older S in a lounge used by thousands of people be better then mine.


thanks for your responses

 

You should go to a store and find another SZ and compare your with it. Mine is not loose around the drive tray. My hinges are not loose. The plastic Grill near the esc key is slighty raised on mine (compared with the right side), and you can push it down a little. THe enter key is ok for me, but the space bar is a weak point. The material is so thin that with the length of that key, it flexes enough on mine to not register a keypress at the ends of the key, unless you press pretty hard. This even after the keyboard was replaced to fix that problem.

I don't think build quality is horrible, but it ain't great either.

 

I find that my SZ120 is of fine build quality overall... just a few gripes:

- I don't "trust" the eject button on the DVD drive, when I push it, it pushes the whole drive in, so i just use "Function-E" to eject instead

- The loose battery issue/feature

Other than that, I love the build quality... very very happy with my recent purchase

 

If your talking about the left side if the panel which holds the S1/S2/Power/etc and runs along the top of the keyboard. I would thoroughly check the clips which hold it in place.

I had the same problem, which I realised when I occaisionally missed the ESC key and hit part of that panel (keyboard is bigger then i'm used to, so took me a while to get used to it).

However, I thought nothing of it. Until I took the notebook of the desk to pack it in the sleeve. And spotted part of the clip on the back was missing/broken.

For Sony's response see my other thread, detailing why they have now lost my future custom.

 

BTW my SZ premium also had the problem with the loose DVD drive.

It doesn't close flush with the notebook chassis. And has some play in it when closed.

 

wow! i just read your thread. i paid for sony on site repair. i'll let you know how that goes.. btw my space bar is loose but always gives me a space wherever i press it.

 

The problem with the space bar is at the ends. I can press the very ends until they bottom out, and they do not register a press. You might want to monitor it, as I found mine to work fine initially, but got worse over time.

 

oh yeah i forgot about the loose battery. would apple release a laptop that you had to apply tape so that the battery didn't rattle?

 

I dont believe my sz110 will survive a drop. It doesn't feel as tight as my old r505gl did. I corrected the battery problem applying double-side tape on the battery compartment. It is so tight now that I can shake the laptop and I dont feel anything moving.

 

so i called sony. they wont do onsite for cosmetic issues. only mechanical. wouldn't we consider my problems mechanical if the whole thing is shaking loose?

 

Well, cosmetic and mechanical can be the same thing. If it doesn't effect the notebook's functionality, it is going to be considered cosmetic.

 

wow, Fn-E. I learned a new command today.
I wonder what other unconventional Fn-keys exist?

 

whats Fn-E?

 

Its the keyboard command to eject the DVD drive

There's a thread on "function commands" that has been posted in here within the past few weeks

 

Actually I ended up with a macbook from the sz120. It has its own issues. Really bad heating issues. strange sounds from unit,etc. Not sure if I'll end up keeping it too. The heat is bad. And battery lasts only 2 hrs on the windows side. Haha. The windows side works well, actually playes games much faster than the sz120. And even better than the same game on the mac side.lol

Oh and the battery doesnt fit flush to the case.

 

Yeah, that was my post but not much came of it... I think Fn-E is pretty much the only one hehe... kinda disappointing.

@starstreak:

Intersting info about the MacBook...! I hope all of the SZ-doubters read that and understand that every machine has its problems

 

The problem is not the issues the machines have.

Its the way Sony deal with customers once they have got their money.

 

I feel like all of the plastic parts (Sides of the notebook) feel cheap and fragile. Everything else feels solid.

 

5to1 we know you're upset about the customer service...

We're talking about build quality in this thread.

Many people mentioned in your thread talking about Sony's customer service that a lot of companies have sub-par service.

 

Same on mine.
I actually put it appart to find out why, just above the ESC key you have the bluetooth chip with a small pastic cushion on it. It's too thick and lift the grill a bit.
You can re=adjust the cushion a bit but the grill will never sit on the left side as how it sits on the right.

The internals of the SZ is very neat though, it's quite tough

 

The thread was about the build quality of the SZ.

You brought the MBPro into it in an effort to defend Sony and the SZ's deficiencies. I simply responded to point out that there's more to it then just build quality. But how the problems are dealt with.

"Intersting info about the MacBook...! I hope all of the SZ-doubters read that and understand that every machine has its problems "

Being one of the prominent SZ and Sony doubters at this point, you were inviting comment with that sentence.

 

There are no clips there.
The clips are actually behind the screen's hinge. On the left and right side, the grill just sits.

There are two clips (one above F2, the other above NumLk) but that's to held the keyboard

 

I wasn't saying the clips were by the ESC key. Just thats where I first noticed the play in the panel.

And that anyone else who see's this should check the clips that hold the panel in place.

And yes they are outside the hinges which hold the LCD in place. One on the left of the machine and one on the right. And of similar design, wrapping around to the back of the machine.

 

I had a 12" Powerbook until just recently....it was a dedicated "media" laptop I used for editing short video clips during my travels. For all the sexiness of that machine, it had abysmal battery life...in the 1 hour range if I was lucky and kept the screen dimmed and didn't access the drive. It got hotter than heck to use on your lap and you'd shock the heck out of yourself with that all-metal body. It was also slippery and difficult to keep on your lap or on a laptray....mine slid off more than once during turbulence (fortunately no damage). I paid, at the time, almost the same as I did for my SZ, which has replaced both it and my Dell Latitude.

Fit and finish on the SZ is rougher than either my Dell or my Powerbook. But it's adequate. My only gripe is the right side by the DVD drive. Like others, it scares me a bit because it feels fragile if I press down on that side of the palmrest. Then again, if I AM pressing down on that side of the palmrest, I'm not maintaining proper typing posture so I just use it as a reminder to get my wrists straight before I suffer RSI. Oddly enough, my battery isn't "jiggly" like many claim. No slop at all. I was prepared to use some felt stickies but haven't needed to.

This isn't my first Vaio laptop or desktop...it's my 3rd laptop and I'm on my third desktop as well. Each of my Sony machines have fared as well as any of my Thinkpads, Dells, HP/Compaq's or Toshiba's. I've owned the lot of them. I think the Thinkpads may be the most solid, but I really don't put the Sony too far away from my factory Dell's. You can buy the ruggedized Latitude frames and get a slightly more robust package, but compared to the Inspiron's, they are about neck and neck.

For the weight and slimness of the SZ, I'm quite happy with the finish.

 

I say again, this thread is about build quality. You have a thread for customer service.

When I said SZ doubters I was not refering to you. I was in no way "inviting" a comment in any way. If you feel that I was inviting a comment, you may be externalizing how you feel.

Since your bad experience with Sony, you've been jumping into many threads and posting information about how bad Sony and the SZ is.

This is a free board open to anyone's opinion, but please, if you hate the SZ and Sony so much, sell the machine and don't troll.

 

Well I've posted in 4 other threads since I started my thread about my issues with Sony.

Two of them I have mentioned nothing negative about Sony.

The other two were:

- A few notes about the weird SZ spacebar...

- what do you think of the build quality of the sz? (this thread)

Which aren't exactly unrelated are they????

Now I don't consider two threads as being "many".

And I really fail to see how you can describe any of my posts as "jumping in". But perhaps you can provide a similarly well researched analysis to challenge that.

Failing that, I suggest you stop throwing words like troll about.

 

first of all boys stop it.

secondly if i send my sz back and ask them to tighten up all the loose plastic. will they. i agree customer service is not the issue here, but repair customer service is. loose plastic is more subjective then a broken mother board.
and how long does sony take (another mention to apple coming) when my powerbook broke (alot) they used to get it back to me in 48 hours via fedex

 

i doubt it.


@5to1 if your so unhappy with your SZ maybe you should look into a different notebook. The price for the SZ to to great to pay for something your not satisfied with.

 

It's true, when customer service relates to fixing the hardware, it is relevant.

I've had some great experience with Dell as well, getting back a machine with a new motherboard, keyboard and chasis in 48 hours. Its very impressive, and made me consider a Dell before the SZ.

I'm afraid to know how long it would take Sony to repair something But as usual, these are decisions one has to make when going for a certain kind of notebook like a Sony.

Dell makes their machines a little heavier and a little lower powered than the competition in the same weight class for the same reason the Mars landers have 56K modems instead of a high speed modems... they're less expensive and simple to fix.

Sure, we don't know about customer service until we purchase the machine. That's the same for every company. That's why exhange / return / selling is for.

 

Because they wont take it back. I would be happy with an exchange (for one that works), a repair, or a refund.

 

yesterday I was cleaning lcd display from dust, doing it very very gently and I have noticed that bottom side of the frame which holds LCD is pretty lose...there's about 1-2 mm space in the center. the space allowed to see part# sticker on LCD when looking from above. I've tried to press the bumping frame back towards the LCD, right where vaio logo is, but it comes back.
Anybody noticed something like that?

+well known space bar, loose battery issues

 

Which model do you have, imrichard ?

I have the Premium, and with the LED LCD being so thin there's no room for a space like that.

For me, the spacebar was fine until I started playing with it Maybe I'm just more aware of it now. However, I like the keyboard in general, especially the layout, which I'm used to (large Home End Pg Up Pg Dn keys...)

The machine does seem a little fragile, but I think that's expected for 3.8 pounds.

The model I got doesn't have the jiggly battery, Sony added something to the inside of the battery case on mine to make it sit flush to the chasis.

One problem I had with the SZ120 was the Stamina / Speed buttons causing marks on the area around the screen, but on the SZ160 I don't have the same issue. I was putting the cover sheet over the keyboard to protect it, but that didn't last long

Many Sony products I've owned have had a very fragile feel to them... MiniDisc player, USB Thumbdrive, Micro-casette player... they've all been very sensitive, and some of them have broken under MUCH less stress (Panasonic has been had some of the best build quality I've seen).

However, those products had the features I wanted in a smaller lighter package, and they had nice design. I'm as careful as I can be with them, and that's all I can hope for.

 

i have this space too but i don't think there's anything to worry about. i'm more concerned when the screen sometimes becomes black and i have to shut off using the power button. i don't know what could be the reason for this...

 

mine is 150 p/c...

 

Hi, first time poster. Just picked up the SZ150 this week and am loving it. Build quality is good, although not up to the $2300 price point. My screen looks great. Only problem is the loose battery which I will have to fix somehow. Just stuck in 2GB of ram and it flies. Can't wait to game on this thing.

 

Actually I always thought my Sony MD players felt very solid. Infact they felt more solid then machines twice their size. And I still have both in perfect condition (must be over 5 years old now), not that I use them now.

And Sony have shown they can produce very compact products while maintaining durability. X505?

 

It's hit and miss, like always

 

Apparently it's also hit and miss with the SZ. I have an SZ1M/B and I didn't notice anything with my space bar yet and the battery isn't loose either. It's not a completely tight fit, but it moves around like less than 1mm and only in one direction (out of the slot). Apart from that, nothing feels shoddy so far, the DVD drive has some play, but it's nothing worrying (my flatmate has a Samsung X20, his DVD drive moves around more).
I guess I was lucky.

 

My battery rattles a little, my space bar misses a few times, I'm concerned that I will damage the screen if I clean it too hard, the lid makes an intermitant creak when I open it up, and I am dead scared that I'm going to scratch the weave off the lid one day. But I still love the laptop.

 

wierdly i have loose plastic bits all over my 160 but my screen is rock solid on both sides.

 

Just wondering if anybody has used super glue to strengthen the loose plastic side pieces? I was considering doing it myself but thought I'd ask first.

 

where exactly would you put the super glue. just feeling around makes me think that the bottom and top on the dvd side suffer from not having a strong enough backing, and that is causing the loose plastic all around the dvd drive. i dont think sticky pads are going to solve this. but if you can fix it that's as good as the space bar fix for me

 

Well, many have mentioned that their plastic pieces to the right and left sides are slightly loose. The plastic piece on my dvd drive's side is not loose. However, the plastic piece on the left side is loose. I was thinking about dripping a small amount of super glue where the plastic piece and metal casing meet (ergo, in between them.) Of course, if you put too much it might drip into the memory stick duo slot (and/or elsewhere) which might not be good.

Though it sounds like everybody has their own individual problems with plastic "looseness." The only solution I could come up with to fix my own problem was super glue. Any other suggestions are welcomed.

 

Don't feel so bad people...

The problems with the MacBook keep on piling up...

Battery recalls, electrocshock palmrest, overheating...

There are worse situations out there

http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/lapt...le-sics-lawyers-on-something-awful-171394.php

 

well when I had the macbook, i didnt get the palmshock.

 

Never had that problem with any laptop (including the SZ).

Although we do use earthed plugs here in the UK. (But I haven't noticed it when I've been in NA either).

 

In order to take such an attitude, you need to provide a credible alternative. Having looked at your signature, I would point out Asus is not one.

Its unfortunate, but it appears perfecting a product before release is now a thing of the past. Which leaves consumers in the difficult position of choosing from the least worst put together product.

Your right. It is our fault to an extent. But how many times are you going to return a product in order to get a perfectly put together one? Eventually most people come to some sort of compromise.

A wobly panel is bad. But if the machine functions and is the only one with the attributes you require. What do you do? Spend months exchanging until you get the perfect one?

And before you accuse me of being a fanboy, I suggest you read my other thread, where I have slated Sony. The difference is, in that case the problem is consistant accross every machine. Affects its useability. And their response is less then satisfactory.

 

Hi. I have an SZ18GP/C, Hong Kong version. Everything has been ok in terms of the built itself so far except that I discovered fine scratches on the bar where all the lights sat. These scratches seemed to be caused by opening and closing of the screen but I checked carefully and found that lower end of the screen does not touch the bar at all. Anyone here has the same problem?

 

very wierd. i started this thread and listed my issues and didn't notice that i too had scratches on the light bar, i noticed it yesterday and decided it was my fault (i hadn'd zipped the sleave up while going through security). but now that it has happened to you i wonder what caused it.

 

i definitely think it's a build problem (btw scratches on mine are mostly on the right hand side of the light bar, what about yours?). i tried to put very thin stickers on the bar and repeatedly opened and closed the screen but I discovered the lower end of the screen is not even touching the stickers. I suspect that has to do with Sony people caused the scratches when opening the speaker panel to install the ram or sth (i have 2gb ram installed by sony)... What do you think? I'm really confused!? (and pissed too!!!)