Sony's 13.3-inch SZ7 laptop lineup available for pre-order
By Darren Murph 
posted January 23rd 2008 4:10AM
posted January 23rd 2008 4:10AM
[Thanks, Titanas]
posted January 23rd 2008 4:10AM
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Does it fit into a manila envelope because that's how I gage all my potential laptop purchases these days.
Sony makes a nice looking (pc) laptop, but what's with the model names? ...this serial-number-as-a-model-name thing seems a bit silly.
I like the Sony SZ laptops very much. But if wishes were fishes... It would be nice if they could get them to be a tad lighter. The macbook air is nice but is missing too many key features for me to begin an apples to apples comparison so to speak.
That being said - I'd like a THREE (not four) pound laptop with -
1. Opitcal drive - for easy installs and viewing video on the plane - I don't want to watch the airlines Meryl Streep movie about a dying family member and how they come together...
2. Gigabit network card
3. Built in cell modem - that works under XP
4. 13" screen - smaller screens mean smaller keyboards which means it is hard for me to type.
5. DVI and VGA out would be great.
6. THREE USB connectors would be great.
7. Your choice of OS - that way you won't have a hard time finding drivers for XP.
8. Replaceable battery for long flights.
Granted the macbook air is 2lbs but it is missing too many features at 2lbs to make me want it. The Sony's have some of the features I listed above but I don't think they have one that meets all the criteria and is only 3lbs fully loaded. I have no doubt the macbook air will help them along that path though. Hopefully mac will consider making a macbook air deluxe that will be a little heavier but will feature all the items missing in my list. Competition is a great thing.
What kind of silly world do you live in, my friend?
While sony does make lighter laptops or asus makes them for Sony - they don't have a 2+ GHZ core 2 processor that meets my list. For some reason they only make 1.x ghz units and frankly I'd rather carry a little heavier laptop than to have to wait any longer than I have to.
Sony SZ. The laptop Engadget, Gizmondo and just about every Apple loving journalist all refuse to put next to, or compare to, the MacBook HotAir.
If you try to customize it, it says the processors are on "backorder" until Feb. 10th so maybe shipping is around that time.
yes the price point is close to the air....
that is why I love the air, it will bring prices to competitive lappys down...
Because they make so many laptops over the year, and their line gets upgraded, hence the numbering. If you make only three laptops, you don't need to.
Damn. Just bought an SZ650. I am loving it (-Vista+Ubuntu), but maybe I should have waited for the hardware refresh. Great laptop though, almost went with Dell m1330, but you can't beat the dual video chip solution and the sleek styling.
Also, I know it is a matter of preference, but I really like the keyboard on my SZ.
*ugh*
only vista as an option. whyyyyyyyyyy.
I just ordered my Sony SZ780NW from Portable One. Am very happy and pleased with their service and great pricing! They priced matched the port replicatior with Amazon and offered free shipping, no tax and free carrying case. Best of all, they P1 optimized the notebook getting rid of all that bloatware that I don't need. Excellent customer services! I highly recommend purchasing your units from them.
wow!!!To pestaola sto engadget :P
Odd they didn't mention it in the article, but these are Penryn lappies.
i liked sony's SZ-series from the start, but the keyboard in my opinion is way too soft. i can't get used to it. hopefully the new SZ7 has one comparable to the TX-series. would be great.
I enjoy the keyboard on the TX series as well!
I own the TZ model myself, best electronic purchase ive ever made...Its flawless (besides the tech specs, not too powerful...but when you want portability: power is something you must sacrifice)
This SZ series looks extremely sexy, i wonder how it compares to my TZ as far as weight/portability... Sony does it right with laptops, you simply can't get better then them
The antenna?
much more value for money when compared to the macbook air. unless of course, being cool is worth the extra dough.
Isint that Apples marketing strategry?
Dude if you have a new sony sz you are damn cool my man! no need for air here
well said man, well said!
this machine is SOOO tempting - i had an s260 and yes, compared to the MBA - it pounds it.
Its cheaper , better looking if you ask me and far far more practical and usable. The macbook air is like a supermodel, might look good on the catwalk but in real life you want something with a bit more meat on its bones.
lingerie models have more meat.
That works, the SZ7 has more meat, but its still not what you'd call chunky. So macbook air is anorexic sickly looking supermodel who's been "powdering" her nose too often. Sony SZ7 is the hot tanned lingerie model. And just like both those women, I can't afford either notebook.
i totally agree, coz i own a SZ lol. it's a combination of portability and performance, and VAIO has the most beautiful display, i just hope SONY can bring BRAVIA to their laptop line.
Well, in real-life, I want an SZ with a TZ-style keyboard. For whatever the MBA's shortcomings are to get its thinness and 3 pound weight, the one thing it does offer is a keyboard along the same lines as the TZ or the MacBook. Yet for whatever reason, Sony continues to not even bother updating the keyboard on its own SZ line, even though they've already done so with the TX to TZ and the C to CR series.
Yeah dig that super cool antenna there. I guess this thing is so chock full of the most advanced electronics the designers just had no way to internalize that antenna. I'll take the supermodel over that butt ugly piece of crap any day.
the antenna is for 3G broadband, not wifi. you can just pop the antenna out if you don't want the 3G.
burrrrnnn
Haha. Fail.
Yea, But it is still Windows and not OS X. You get Leopard with the Mac. That in itself is worth the extra $$$. I am a recent switcher, nothing will get me back to windows after using Leopard. It's a far superior operating system then Vista. I know, I have Vista Ultimate on my desktop PC. I will be replacing my new PC with a 24 inch Aluminum iMac when I get my tax return back this year.
So cheaper and infinitely more features than the Air? So why no hype on this Engadget? Lack of Apple logo?
Why would there be hype for the 7th revision in the SZ product line (which of course is itself a refinement of the previous S series)? Sony has been doing these spec updates of the SZ line for quite a while now; not sure why someone would expect the same amount of hype or coverage for the 7th revision of an existing product (and one that isn't even a dramatic change like the TZ was to the TX). I think you would see more hype if Sony completely re-designed the SZ or launched a new laptop.
@Zadillo
Don't waste your time. The fanatical apple haters around these parts ask questions like that rhetorically. ...they don't actually want the obvious answer; they just want to hate Apple.
We have probably that many generations of Ipod updates as well and yet we still get all the hype they can throw at us. Fine by me, but give equal coverage to other good products as well.
Zadildo you moron, we get multiple posts when an iPod receives a new colour.
The answer is simple. Because Apple and its products are hype-worthy. Their name, brand, products; everybody wants to hear about it, see it, touch it, feel it.
You think Engadget is biased? Why do you think the MBA appears on the 7 o'clock news, when the new SZ doesn't?
I'm having a hard time telling from the single picture; did they FINALLY update the keyboard to a TZ-style keyboard, or is it still the same one as they've been using since the debut of the SZ?
If only they offered a higher resolution display, i.e. 1440x900. Seems like Dell and Lenovo are the only ones who offer a laptop with a usable (to me) display resolution. But I just looove the SZ looks, *sigh*.
I like how everyone ALWAYS compares EVERYTHING to Apple. For how much you hate them they sure are doing a good job at staying in your head!