The new VAIO VGN-SZ series are the first Sony notebooks to use the Hybrid Graphic System, which will be described in detail below. The base model, VAIO VGN-SZ15GP, runs on the latest dual-core Centrino platform with magnesium alloy chassis, while the premium VAIO VGN-SZ18GP has a lighter yet stronger carbon-fibre exterior with a faster processor and security features.
Upside
Made from the same material as the chassis of race cars, the black carbon-fibre exterior is very light, yet stronger and more scratch-resistant than magnesium alloy. This notebook has an understated and classy black-and-grey theme which sits well in an office environment.
The first in Sony's VAIO line-up to incorporate the Hybrid Graphic System, the VAIO VGN-SZ18GP has the best of both worlds when it comes to video rendering. To extend battery life, the integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 GPU is more than adequate for simple computing tasks without consuming excessive power. But when it comes to intensive graphics rendering, a flick of a switch and a reboot allow the dedicated Nvidia GeForce Go 7400 processor to kick in and utilize 128MB of TurboCache VRAM to boost performance at the cost of increased power consumption. We feel this new technology breaks new ground as, increasingly, mobile computers are used both for work and play.
Not forgetting its role as a corporate machine, the VGN-SZ18GP has a fingerprint biometric sensor, Trusted Platform Module chip and hard drive password protection up its data security sleeve. Because information is vital to any business, the hard disk is physically protected with a 3D acceleration sensor that secures the hard drive if it detects sudden drops or shocks to the system.
The addition of an integrated Webcam above the display also makes video conferencing a breeze. With seven hours of estimated battery life, offsite presentations should not be an issue with this thin-and-light laptop.
Downside
For a AU$3,699 premium notebook with corporate features, the lack of an S-video port is almost incomprehensible. This makes hooking up to external analog displays difficult without the optional port replicator base.
The warranty terms are not too attractive for a premium notebook, offering only one-year local coverage. For a thin-and-light in this price range, it would have been nice to offer a three-year service period. Though you can upgrade to international coverage, there is no extended warranty option.
Outlook
Unlike the song, the best things in life aren't free and at close to AU$4000 for a thin-and-light, it may be out of reach for most people. However, those with deeper pockets will be hard-pressed to find another notebook which can offer the build quality and design of the VAIO VGN-SZ18GP, not to mention the innovative Hybrid Graphic System that gives the user even greater control options. For work or play, this VAIO notebook definitely fills both shoes easily.
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2ndBoard
27/08/2008, 02:21 PM
rating
6/10
Watch the Motherboard!
I have had my Sony Vaio 2yrs now and now on my 3rd motherboard...beware, if you buy one get an extended warranty for sure, well worth the money! Otherwise I love it, but make sure you have an extended warranty for all VGN-z series laptops or you will be dissapointed.
Pros: Great looker, works well when motherboard functions.
Cons: Low battery life, major motherboard probelms.
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tilanb
27/04/2007, 08:30 PM
rating
7/10
Great to look at.. very sexy.. reliable so far (three months old)..
Pros: Light (1.8kg) and thin with an inbuilt DVD drive. very nice to look at.. No mechanical or softwear functions as yet..
Cons: Keyboard feels a little cheap.. in fact my old dell laptop has a better keyboard. Quite a noisy fan.. very short battery life. only about 2 hours in the high performance mode.. 3 hours in the power saver mode
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furto
16/04/2007, 11:10 AM
rating
9/10
i have owned this laptop for over 3 months now and i have been taking it to school everyday to replace my books. it is the perfect laptop!!!!!! recently i have put vista on it and the battery life is still rly good. although if you install vista you will need to rely on forums to help you install all the software and drivers stc.
Pros: every inch of the laptop is a pro, fault does not exist! so light weight and slim, keyboard i reckon is fine.
Cons: ok the spacebar is a litle dodgy... :(
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sfotsy
09/12/2006, 02:01 AM
rating
2/10
Having using heavily for 6 months while sometime even leave it on for 24 hours....as with the power adaptor on while this model did not given me any good impression. As given me lots of problem on power supply as even when i pluged in the ac adapter the sony notebook fail to be on....was told the motherboard was out of order....while the cd or dvd drive is sensative.....!! AS the services from Sony is bad as they did not managed to known what is the reason when after changing the Motherboard....the notebooks still given a black screen....!!!
Pros: LIGHT AND SEXY
Cons: Lousy products that did not give me a good services.....as hardy as Toshiba and Fujitsu.....the keyboard quality is not as good as the older days of IBM...!!! I miss The Old IBM Keyboards.
The battery can be loosen while if u always take in and out ....and this set cannot stand the heat...as what i comparing with my other brand like Fujitsu.....P5020.
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robertg
23/10/2006, 09:37 PM
rating
9/10
perfect combo of weight, size and power
Pros: light but powerful.Perfect balence of weight and performance with a screen you can actually work with and enjoy.
Cons: none to mention so far except the the keyboard is a bit lite-on, but whatdo you expect from such a thin laptop
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Tarek
16/10/2006, 12:24 PM
rating
9/10
Great light notebook
I've owned the sz28gp for about a month now. It is a great notebook. No regrets what so ever. I've played Quake4, Doom3 perfectly on it. Half life 2 looks beautiful, and plays great at very good image quality and maximum resolution, but freezes sometimes. I wish Sony had provided HD TV output. The very thin Carbon fiber case for the LCD seems fragile, so I am careful in using it. No incidents so far. I recommend this notebook.
Pros: Light weight, great display, good sound, great keyboard, finger print logon fantastic, looks very nice and elegant,good battery life.
Cons: No s-video connection or better yet HD TV out.
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YoYo
13/08/2006, 01:28 AM
rating
6/10
motherboard glitch
I was looking for a small laptop to carry around and came across this little beauty.
I was about to purchase this until I came across their Japanese Internet site.
Apparently the SZ have issues with motherboard/power supply when bumped to a certain degree.
The unit fails to turn on or turns itself off after a while and considering the warranty/coverage you aussies get of 1 year and taking into consideration the price Sony is asking in Australia, I dont think its a unit you can buy with confidence.
Hey, I love Sony, I have pretty much Sony everything and I was going to buy this until I found out of the bad news.
Please take this into consideration when you buy this PC. In Japan we are "lucky" enough to get 3 years coverage. I guess after the period youd get a new one anyway.....
Pros: Excellent laptop. Light, smooth design, practical in almost every way.
Cons: Motherboard problems.
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Yannickm
06/08/2006, 12:41 PM
rating
9/10
Brilliant! 9.5 out of 10!!! its a farkin sony!
I didn’t get the SZ18… I got the SZ28… I’ve had this laptop for a month now and i have had absolutely no problems with it. i wanted a laptop that’s Portable, thin, light… and not some chunky brick laptop. light enough to almost feel u have nothing on u.
I’m a gamer so i was looking for a laptop that could play pretty much every game out there now... I've chucked in Half life 2 and Battlefield 2, Pray... and its beautiful. half life 2 almost every setting is on high, BF2 most on Medium and some on low but still looks beautiful while playing.. pfft Pray works like a dream. Oh and also world of warcraft works great.
Wireless is great... Sound is good, even pumping it up sound good. You don’t have much of a base in it but who cares still great in listing to music and gaming. (i haven’t really compared the sound in other Laptops in the market but its still great). Keyboard is great. I was abit worried that I would have that space bar problem that some people have but I don’t have that problem at all!. If any of use have the problem go to www.youtube.com and search for sony SZ… some guy found out how to fix that little problem and as far as I know it works!
Finger scan is awesome. The laptop doesn’t produce that much heat at all. The screen is beautiful… webcam is good. What can I say? It’s a beautiful laptop… you’ll treasure it… im trying to cover everything but can’t think of anything else… for the price I paid for it… it was 98% worth it… just battery life is a issue at times… but its no biggy, also S-video but I use to only use that on the other laptop because I didn’t have a Divx DVD player. But now I do so I’m fine.
And if I could add in that it does come with a lot of stuff installed in it but as if you don’t have enough time to play around with this beautiful laptop and just uninstall the small things you don’t want or need.
The end
Pros: CPU, Graphics Card, Web-cam, wireless, Slimness, Light! just beautiful, looks beautiful
Cons: S-Video... also it says that it will last 7 hours in stamina mode but its really around max 4 hours... and on speed is about 2hrs and a bit... unless your on the road alot and can't find a power point anywhere... who cares...
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leonie
20/05/2006, 06:27 PM
rating
9.7/10
Perfect for those on the move
Pros: Excellent weight with functionality. Having lived with my Vaio for two weeks now I am beginning to appreciate it's depth of functionality and mobility.
Being so light weight you feel that it just shouldn't give you the grunt that it does!
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18/04/2006, 08:38 PM
Beautiful fast light practical
I have had one of these for two weeks now, and it is beautiful. Very light, great battery life, awesome built in webcam, and very fast. Worth every $.
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