Sony VAIO Z Review

Sony VAIO Z series

Review Summary:

The Sony VAIO Z is the fastest and most expensive 13-inch notebook on the market.

Pros

• Excellent build quality
• Great Design
• Most features packed into a 13-inch notebook

Cons

• Pricey
• Very, VERY pricey in some configurations

Sony VAIO Z Full Review

 

The VAIO Z is Sony's 13.1-inch ultra-portable powerhouse. Features like Core i5 and i7 processors, RAID0 hard drive arrays and 1080P displays never end up describing a 13-inch notebook, but with Sony it does. The VAIO Z also offers switchable graphics with the NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M to give users solid gaming performance one second and low-power consumption the next. In this review we take a look at a modestly equipped Sony VAIO Z and see how it stacks up against the competition.

Our Sony VAIO Z (VPCZ127GX) Specifications:

• Windows 7
• Intel Core i5-520M 2.40GHz Processor (3MB cache)
• 6GB DDR3 1066MHz RAM (8GB max)
• 384GB (3 x 128GB) Samsung SSD Array (RAID 0)
• 13.1" Widescreen LED Backlit Display (1600 x 900)
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M GPU with 1GB of Dedicated Video RAM and Intel GMA HD integrated
• DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Drive
• Intel 6200 Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Gigabit Ethernet LAN, Bluetooth (2.1 + EDR)
• Biometric Fingerprint Sensor
• Ports: 3 x USB 2.0, Headphone Output, Microphone Input, VGA, HDMI, RJ-45 Ethernet, Port Replicator Connector
• 6-cell 57Wh battery
• Dimensions: 12.4 x 8.3 x 1.0-1.3-inches
• Weight: 3.04 pounds (with standard capacity battery)
• Price: $1,919 starting, $2,899 as configured

Build and Design
The outside appearance of the Sony VAIO Z is sleek and compact. The screen is a few millimeters thick and could easily be described as paper thin. The power button and DC-input jack are integrated into the screen hinges, another common trend on VAIO notebooks that aims to improve looks and make use of regularly wasted space. Inside, Sony takes a similar path as Apple did with the newer generation MacBooks with a machined keyboard bezel. The keyboard and palmrest trim are a solid piece of metal with a Chiclet-style keyboard embedded in the surface. Offered in multiple colors including black, silver, carbon fiber, and metal shield, the VAIO Z can be tailored to match different personalities. Overall as far as notebook designs go the Z merges the best in ultraportable notebooks with the best in high-end business notebooks ... I love it.

Build quality is very good but I don't think I would go as far as saying it is rugged by any means. The super thin design has a few weaknesses that could break if the system was treated roughly. The paper thin screen has some flex, but it doesn't seem to distort the display when bent. The screen cover also resists impacts without pressing against the panel. If the system was accidentally dropped I don't think it would hold up as well as say an HP EliteBook or Lenovo ThinkPad, but it should hold up better than the average consumer notebook. In my standard day-to-day activities I didn't notice any abnormal wear on the finish and the textured screen cover seemed to resist fingerprints very well.

The machined keyboard bezel is very strong, preventing flex and also giving the notebook chassis strength. While we were inspecting internals of the notebook we quickly found out the top panel is what gives the body of the VAIO Z much of its strength. As soon as it was removed the lower section of the chassis exhibited a lot of movement. Generally speaking most notebooks get their strength from an internal chassis or the bottom framework.

The Sony VAIO Z isn't designed to be user-friendly for upgrades. The only easy-access section inside the notebook is the system memory. The other system components are only accessible once you completely dismantle the notebook and remove the entire top plate. Even with the top plate off, most of the internal components such as the hard drives are proprietary in design and not something easily upgraded or replaced by the end-user. With most configurations pushing multiple SSDs, substantial quantities of system memory, and high-end processors... user upgrades probably won't be on the minds of most owners.

Screen and Speakers
Sony LCD displays have a special place in my heart when it comes to TVs, monitors, and notebook displays. Generally speaking they push the boundaries with their high-end models and offer some of the most vivid colors, best contrast, and good looks out of any other panels I have seen on the market. The VAIO Z is no different in this case with its HD+ 1600x900 13.1" display. Compared to other screens I have seen in this size the Z blows the competition out of the water. Colors look fantastic and with screen brightness a few notches down from 100% the contrast and black levels are excellent. Backlight levels were also very good, measuring 321nit with our Gossen light meter at 100% brightness. If you intend to get the Blu-ray burner with your VAIO Z, you won't be disappointed while watching movies from your notebook.

Another unique option that Sony offers with the VAIO Z is a 1080P panel. If you have a taste for high resolution panels in a small form-factor, the 13.1" 1920x1080 display won't disappoint. At the time of this review it is a free upgrade option, regularly costing $100 extra. I am not sure if I would spring for it personally-my eyes might kill me for it-but it is very nice to know the option exists. Right now the market is saturated with WXGA resolution panels on larger notebooks, so it is refreshing to see at least some manufacturers still support folks who demand screen real estate.

Sony integrated the speakers on the VAIO Z into the solid metal plate used for the keyboard and palmrest. The speaker size is fairly small, not much bigger than a postage stamp in each side. In our tests we found bass and midrange to be lacking, although peak volume levels were fine for a small room. For gaming or listening to streaming music they should suffice, but using headphones would be the best alternative on this notebook.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The VAIO Z has the traditional Sony/Chiclet-style keyboard with white LED-backlighting. It is very comfortable to type on and fairly solid. I did notice some mild flex on the side of the keyboard directly on top of the optical drive but it was only under very strong typing pressure. The keyboard layout was very easy to follow with proper full-size keys everywhere. None of the secondary buttons were condensed to squeeze into the smaller layout. The direction arrows were spaced just far enough away from the other keys so you wouldn't accidentally hit something else when you were moving around the screen. Compared to the Apple MacBook keyboard it's hard to say which one is better as they both have the same layout (barring any key differences between a Windows system and Apple system). In terms of quality I think the MacBook keyboard might be slightly more solid, but only on the more recent unibody designs.

The VAIO Z offers a wide Synaptics touchpad that supports some multitouch features. Controls such as pinch zoom and flick work, but Sony opted for Chiral-scroll and vertical-swipe instead of the increasingly popular two-finger scroll. The touchpad surface was very responsive, with a fast refresh rate and very good sensitivity. We didn't notice any lag in testing nor did we have any problem with drawing unintended ovals when making circular motions on the touchpad. The touchpad buttons were located right on the edge of the palmrest and easy to trigger with the side of your thumb. Tactile feedback was shallow with a mild click when fully pressed.

Ports and Features
Sony includes a few auxiliary buttons above the keyboard for quick access program buttons like the Sony Assist feature, an eject button for the optical drive (no button is on the drive itself), and a control for the switchable graphics. The graphics button has three modes including auto, stamina, and speed. Stamina correlates to when the system is in integrated graphics mode while Speed is with the Geforce GT 330M dedicated graphics. Besides switching the graphics mode it also changes the system's power profile to the previous setting in that mode. If you keep the Windows power profile set to High Performance with Speed and power saver with Power Saver with Stamina, it will remember and automatically change that setting when you switch over.

Port selection was average for a 13-inch notebook, but we were still let down considering the price tag on this notebook. The system was equipped with three USB 2.0 ports, VGA and HDMI-out, Ethernet, and audio jacks. Expansion slots included a ExpressCard/34 slot, Memory Stick reader, and a SDHC-card reader. While it was neat to see a tray-loading Blu-ray burner option on this system it would have been nice to see some high speed external storage ports. Sony doesn't offer FireWire, eSATA, or USB 3.0 on the VAIO Z, which would seem almost fitting given the high-performance nature of this notebook. One feature I did like was the inclusion of a dock connector port on the bottom of the notebook. It includes four USB 2.0 ports, DVI and VGA-out, Gigabit LAN, and an input for the AC-adapter. The docking station is a $200 option and not included with the notebook.

Front: Memory Stick reader, SDHC-card reader, wireless on/off, audio jacks

Rear: Nothing

Left: DC-input, Kensington lock slot, Ethernet, HDMI-out, two USB 2.0 ports, ExpressCard/34 slot

Right: One USB 2.0 port, optical drive, VGA-out, on/off button

Performance and Benchmarks
The Sony VAIO Z packs a big punch in a very small package. Our configuration included three Samsung SSDs running in RAID0, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M and Intel GMA HD switchable graphics, 6GB of DDR3 memory, and an Intel Core i5 520M processor. For a 13-inch notebook having three SSDs is a big surprise when three drives are usually reserved for the monster gaming notebooks. In our tests the performance of the SSD array blew the competition away in fast read speeds above 500MB/s. Combined with the 6GB of system memory and its Intel Core i5 520M processor the responsiveness of the notebook was excellent. Startup and shutdown times were incredibly fast and programs loaded with zero lag. Overall the entire interface felt more like working from a desktop workstation than an ultraportable notebook.

wPrime processor comparison results (lower scores mean better performance):

PCMark05 measures overall system performance (higher scores mean better performance):

3DMark06 measures overall graphics performance for gaming and 3D rendering (higher scores mean better performance):

CrystalDiskMark storage drive performance test:

3D performance was very good with the NVIDIA Geforce GT 330M. Synthetic benchmarks placed the overall gaming performance below the ATI 5650 powered Lenovo Y460 and the overclocked CULV-based Alienware M11x which features the GeForce GT 335M. With moderate detail settings in games there is no reason why this system shouldn't be able to handle most current-generation games as long as you don't max out every setting. The VAIO Z had no trouble playing Left 4 Dead 2 at its native 1600x900 resolution, getting an average of 42 FPS. My main suggestion for those buyers who get the 1080P panel is to make sure you don't run it at a resolution that high; otherwise framerates will probably drop into less than usable levels.

Wireless performance on the VAIO Z was excellent with Intel 6200AGN Wi-Fi adapter. The card supported both 2.4GHz and 5GHz radio bands, getting speeds up to 9.4MB/s over 5GHz and 8.2MB/s over 2.4GHz on our N-capable network. The test was performed from a distance of about 25 feet through three walls with metal studs. The router was a Linksys E3000 connected to an Ubuntu 10.04 server with an active Samba share that we mapped to the system being tested. These speeds roughly coincide with a 100MBps LAN connection, which is more than sufficient for streaming high-bitrate HD video from a network source or quickly transferring data from another system.

Heat and Noise
The Sony VAIO Z handles its heat output pretty well, although some parts do get toasty when the system is under full load while playing a game. During normal activity the metal and plastic chassis don't warm up significantly and the system fan stays at very reasonable levels. To even hear the fan you need your ear close to the exhaust vent. When gaming the fan speeds pick up significantly, pushing the noise levels into the quiet whisper range. Temperatures during this type of activity also go up, with one significant hot spot forming on the bottom of the chassis near the exhaust vent. If you plan on using this notebook for gaming, stick it on a flat desk surface and use an external mouse.

Battery Life
Battery life wasn't exactly the strong suit of the VAIO Z, especially while it was running in Speed mode. In Stamina mode its battery life was reasonable with the stock battery, but if you do a lot of traveling it is highly recommended you get the larger battery. The Z includes a 6-cell 57Wh battery stock, with an extended 84Wh battery being optional. In our battery test with the screen brightness reduced to 70%, wireless active and refreshing a webpage every 60 seconds, and Windows 7 on the Balanced profile we managed to get 4 hours and 48 minutes out of the VAIO Z before it turned off. During the battery test in Stamina mode the notebook consumed between 11 to 13-watts of power.

Conclusion
The Sony VAIO Z is one of the nicest 13-inch ultraportable notebooks currently on the market. Normally most systems in this category have some sort of flaw; slow CULV processor, limited screen resolution, limited storage options, or even a poor graphics card. None of this is the case with the VAIO Z, but it comes at a price. Right now the Z starts at $1,919 for a base configuration (128GB RAID0 SSD, i5 540M, 4GB RAM) and goes all the way up to $4,799 for a Signature Edition (512GB RAID0 SSD, i7 620M, 8GB RAM, 1080P panel). At close to $2,000 it is already double what you might expect to pay for a mobile gaming system. You get a lot of features for your money but it still comes down to what you want in your notebook.

The VAIO Z has a slick design with a super thin screen, machined alloy keyboard tray with integrated Chiclet keyboard, and still has space to fit an optical drive. Build quality is a step above consumer notebooks and gets very close to business models. Sony doesn't hold anything back, so in a sense you do get perks with the pricetag. Overall the VAIO Z isn't for everyone, but it does fill a market; business executives who need to project an image to clients, college students with a large budget, and anyone else who wants a no-compromises notebook.

Pros:

• Excellent build quality
• Great Design
• Most features packed into a 13-inch notebook

Cons:

• Pricey
• Very, VERY pricey in some configurations

Individual Ratings: *
Software & Support 
Upgrade Capabilities 
Usability 
Design 
Performance 
Features 
Price/Value Rating 

* Ratings averaged to produce final score