Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Pros: Business applications load, run, display, and switch really really fast. Responsive technical support.
Cons: Screen glare, port placement, Inconvenient Home and End keys, tinny internal speaker.
The Bottom Line: Fast application loading, operating, and switching means you can do more work in less time. The performances offsets the premium price and minor design flaws.
lroomberg's Full Review: Sony VAIO(R) VPCZ122GX/B 13.1" Z Series Notebook P...
Review of the Sony Z Series laptop as of September 15, 2010.
EXCEPTIONAL BUSINESS APPLICATION PERFORMANCE JUSTIFIES THE PREMIUM PRICE
While not perfect, my new Sony Z series laptop (specifically model VPCZ12egx,) is fast enough and light enough that I am happy with the purchase of this premium-priced laptop.
The review was written after using the "Z" (running Windows 7) for ten hours a day, seven days a week for more than a month.
The laptop replaces my 3-year old Panasonic Toughbook running Windows XP which served me well, but after three years, was no longer fast enough for my needs.
User Requirements:
As users go, I can be categorized as an "intense knowledge worker." That means it is common for me to have more than twenty Word documents, MS Project files, Lotus Notes emails, PowerPoint presentations, Visio diagrams, browser windows, Excel spreadsheets, and MS Paint images open at any given time. During the day, I use the laptop as a desktop replacement, plugged into a thirty inch monitor all day long. At night, I often work on the laptop sitting on a plastic tray on my lap for hours at a time while my wife watches television. As I also take the laptop into meetings where I use it to take notes and for ooVoo video conferencing, it is common for me to use my laptop between 40 and 60 hours a week.
However, I am not a gamer nor do I commonly watch videos on the laptop other than an occasional [...] product review.
When I was shopping for the laptop, I had very specific requirements. First, as the laptop travels with me almost everywhere, weight was a real issue. After three years with the Panasonic, I knew the most I was willing to carry was three pounds. (There are other things in my backpack after all.) After some international flights in coach and more than a hundred hours on tour buses, I knew the laptop screen could not be larger than thirteen inches so it would actually open on the tray table in front of me. I also needed the reviews (not just the manufacturer claims) to confirm that the battery life would last more than six hours at a time.
After four months of using a Gateway multi-core machine with separate graphics card at home, I knew whatever laptop I purchased needed to be at least an Intel i5 and have a separate video card so I can work as quickly as possible. This was the most important of all my requirements. If you are only looking for a light laptop that allows you to work with many compound documents as quickly as possible, stop reading the review and buy the computer. The problems described later in this review should not be deal-killers.
THE SEARCH AND PURCHASE:
I looked at reviews covering EVERY major supplier of laptops including Toshiba, Dell, Alienware, HP, and Lenovo. The review from PC Magazine helped me choose the Sony Z series laptop. On paper, the Sony Z met every one of my requirements.
I purchased the laptop directly from Sony"s internal site, [...]. While the base unit was priced at $1,919, my model with the Intel i5 2.4 GHz processor, 4GB of RAM, 256 GB solid state hard disk, shipping, a docking station, and a three-year top-of-the-line warranty, I paid just over $3,000. While this is $1,200 more than most laptops used by fellow employees, the additional productivity I will realize over the next three years will be more than worthwhile for my employer.THE SCREEN:
The 13 inch wide-screen display is the high-gloss type so loved by the Apple crowd. For gamers and people watching videos, the images are beautiful. For a business user like me, the high gloss screen means avoiding any light that happens to be over my shoulder and behind me. I wish I had the option of ordering a "Z" with a matte screen like the one I had on my Panasonic. When sitting in my easy chair using the laptop on my lap for hours almost every night, I need to be careful that the overhead lights behind me are turned off or the glare will be headache inducing.
During the day, the screen is tolerable in meeting rooms as long as your back is not to an external window. While at my desk, the PC images render beautifully on my 28 inch Hanns-G monitor.THE KEYBOARD:
My concerns about the Apple-style flat keys proved to be unfounded. I type quickly and easily. The keys light up in a dark room which means my wife can enjoy her TV shows with little or no ambient light while I work away. However, the "Home," "PgUp," "PgDn," and "End" keys are under the directional arrows and require the "Fn" key to be used. Any intense editing using Microsoft Word has been frustrating. (Ctrl Fn Home or Ctrl Shift Fn Home anyone?) I guess my solution will be remap the F9 through F12 function keys and then memorize which key I mapped to do what. Not a deal-killer, but an annoyance just the same.
The touch-pad and pad-buttons are tolerable. While at my desk, use of my external Logitech Marble Mouse trackball makes screen navigation a pleasure despite my fingers with bad joints.
PERFORMANCE:
The combination of faster processor, memory, hard disk, and separate graphics card means everything loads faster, runs faster, and pauses less when switching between programs. How much faster? My old Panasonic booted in 1 minute and 48 seconds. The Sony in 41 seconds flat. Documents "pop" open and business graphics do not slow the machine down. If you do a lot with a mid-priced computer, you can do a lot more with a Sony Z series laptop.VIDEO, INTERNAL MICROPHONE & INTERNAL AUDIO
While nothing special, the video camera and internal mike are ok for ooVoo and Skype video conferencing. If you need more professional image or use a better microphone, you can always buy a Logitech 9000 combination microphone and camera. (Under $100 at Best Buy.)
Sony should have either left out the internal PC speaker or issued an apology for unusable one included. Whether for listening to music or participating in video conferencing the internal speaker produces a "tinny" sound that is barely audible even with the volume turned up. If you need your computer to make sound and earphones are not acceptable, consider either a single ultra-compact speaker like the "X-Mini II Capsule Speaker by XMI" for about $22 or a pair of Altec Lansing BXR1221 2.1 Speaker" for about $30 (both at Amazon.com). I own both. Both are small and won't take up more than a tiny amount of space or add weight to your backpack.
SOFTWARE ISSUES
Sony does not load up the laptop with "crapware." (Extra commercial software other vendors often install and which requires extensive time to remove upon laptop purchase.) They should be commended for this.SOFTWARE CONFLICTS LOCKING UP WINDOWS EXPLORER
What is annoying is the once or twice a day lockups of Windows Explorer. (Yup, hover over the bottom left hand screen-button to bring up the start menu for an eternal pause that eventually causes an error message requiring Explorer to be closed and re-launched.) In three years of operation, my Panasonic almost never locked up. The only software differences between my old Panasonic and the new Sony are the change from Windows XP to Windows 7 and also any other software Sony installed. I expect this will turn out to be a fixable problem of Windows and not Sony"s fault. In the months ahead, using autoruns software and driver replacements may resolve the problem. But for now, I"m just TOO BUSY WORKING and 41 seconds to reboot may be annoying, but not intolerable. [Clarification: Most of the time, one only needs to reboot the explorer program, not the PC. When this happens, other programs such as MS office do not close and open documents do not crash.]SCANNER & PRINTER DRIVERS
Network printing to our Savin Copiers, and HP and Dell printers works just fine. However, our company standard desktop multi-function device is the HP LaserJet 3050 which is a printer, copier, and scanner. Printing is fine but the scanning driver locks up during the first few moments of every scan. As we have no intention to buy a new printer/scanner with every laptop, we need to fix this. While updating and reinstalling drivers has not worked, my tech staff will keep trying to resolve this problem in the weeks to come. Meanwhile desktop scanning is just not happening.ANNOYING PORT LOCATIONS
Oddly placed USB ports positioned only at the bottom edge of the keyboard close to the user mean wires get in the way.
The docking station does have rear USB ports and so the issue of cumbersome wires only happens when using the laptop away from the desk.
The only microphone and speaker jacks are on the front. Using either means wires may get in the way while typing or video conferencing.EXCELLENT TELEPHONE AND ONSITE SUPPORT
As shipped, the laptop came with a defective speaker jack that enabled the tinny internal speakers to continue emitting noise even when a headphone or external speakers were plugged in. Sony"s telephone support was courteous and competent. A technician was dispatched with a replacement part and the ten minute repair made within a week at no charge...Read more›
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The VAIO(R) Z Series laptop gives you the power and functionality of a larger PC packed into a durable notebook that weighs just over 3 lbs (with standard battery). From its convenient backlit keyboard to its Dynamic Hybrid Graphics system that delivers power when you need it, this computer has all the features that make for a world-class mobile computing experience.13.1 Widescreen LED Backlit Display (1600 x 900) Built-in MOTION EYE camera and Microphone with face-tracking technology NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M GPU with 1GB of Dedicated Video RAM and Intel GMA HD (Dynamic Hybrid Graphics System) Intel High Definition Audio DVD+-R/RW with Double Layer Drive Intel Centrino Advance-N 6200 Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN Bluetooth Stereo A2DP (2.1 + EDR) Multimedia Card Reader MS PRO (Standard/Duo) media slot with MagicGate(TM) functionality, ExpressCard / 34 media slot, SD media slot Pointing device - Electro-static Touch Pad Biometric Fingerprint Sensor Ports -3 x USB 2.0, Headphone Output, Microphone Input, VGA, HDMI, RJ-45 Ethernet, Port Replicator Connector Dimensions (Approx.) -12.4 (W) x 8.3 (D) x 1.0-1.3 (H) inches Weight (Approx.) -3.04 pounds (with standard capacity battery)
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