Sony Vaio X - edit... Atom Processor :( edit again... maybe not :)

[elppa]

I think the bar has just been raised.

- Carbon Fibre + Aluminium
- 11.1" Widescreen Matte Display
- 700g (Air is 1360kg)
- 14mm thin (Air is 4 – 19.4mm)
- WWAN
- 2GB
- 2x USB
- SD/Memory Card Slot
- Ethernet
- Kensington Security Lock
- VGA out only
- All Day Battery
- Windows 7
- <$2000

I'm sure there are catches, but first impressions

Curious VGA port – I assume for business users who need to connect to projectors.

from engadget.

EDIT: It's an Atom. I thought this was in the same class as the Air, X301 and the recently discontinued TT. Clearly not. Serves me right for getting excited.

EDIT: Looks like the final specs are far from confirmed and it may not sport an Atom. Final specs in October. Retails 1 week after Windows 7 launches (so it will run Windows 7).

 

[fireshot91]

Processor speed/type limits, Hard Drive speed limits (probably), RAM limits, FSB limits


^ Reasons why it won't compete with MBA

 

[elppa]

Processor speed/type limits, Hard Drive speed limits (probably), RAM limits, FSB limits


^ Reasons why it won't compete with MBA

I shouldn't get excited before reading the specs. The thing was, recently they (Sony) discontinued the TT, which used ULV processors. I assumed (wrongly) this would be the natural replacement. Not that they would cheap out and go down the atom route.

 

[Joe23]

I was genuinely excited until I saw the word "Atom".

/continues to hug his MBA.

 

[Hrududu]

Smaller screen, weaker processor, Windows Vista, the backlight looks like crap. It is REALLY light though.

I think the Air is pretty safe for now.

 

[Jobsian]

Wow!!

If only it wasn't an Atom, really would put me off almost instantly

 

[Jobsian]

Smaller screen, weaker processor, Windows Vista.

I think the Air is pretty safe for now.

What?!! Why on the lord's earth would they butcher it with Vista....breathtakingly terrible decision imo

 

[elppa]

What?!! Why on the lord's earth would they butcher it with Vista....breathtakingly terrible decision imo

I could be wrong (as I haven't seen anywhere to confirm the OS choice) but it would seem obvious to put Windows 7 on it, which the Atom handles ok.

Sony put Vista on the P, so they must think it is good enough for an Atom. Problem is, the rest of the world disagrees.

 

[Jobsian]

With a carbon fiber body, thinner than Air and nearly twice lighter (700g Vs Air's 1.36kg), VGA port, competition-decimating battery ("will set the new standard for stamina" according to Sony), this could have been a very very good machine.

But Atom.... eugh

Still, what a light machine, carbon fiber too so will be strong!

 

[Jobsian]

I could be wrong (as I haven't seen anywhere to confirm the OS choice) but it would seem obvious to put Windows 7 on it, which the Atom handles ok.

Ah ok, I'll have to edit my post - if Vista's not already confirmed by Sony themselves I don't imagine it'll suit their interest to commit suicide!

I guess almost certainly Win 7, which while it isn't Snow Leopard, is much better than Vista

 

[Jobsian]

Ah guys, this is important news to bear in mind - according to Engadget:

"final specs haven't been locked in"

I wonder what they'll be, this could change the game somewhat....

 

[mkrishnan]

I'd be interested in it except that, as Engadget observes, Sony is probably going to charge something fairly ridiculous for it. Maybe this will charge Asus or someone else with coming up with something like this at a reasonable price.

Also I'd wonder exactly what they have in mind for an "all day" battery that sets "new standards for stamina." Apple uses the "all day" slogan for its batteries that last 7-8 hours, and there are already netbooks with Atoms that are as much as 50% longer lasting, with more on the way, so I wonder if they really have something good here in terms of battery life or if they're really excessively exaggerating.

 

[Jobsian]

Aside from what final specs they choose, it'll be interesting to note what price they'll sell the thing at, bearing in mind this looks to be going head to head with the now reduced-price Air and the Lenovo

Come on Jobs, show us your earth-crushing retort!

Exciting times

 

[Jobsian]

I'd be interested in it except that, as Engadget observes, Sony is probably going to charge something fairly ridiculous for it. Maybe this will charge Asus or someone else with coming up with something like this at a reasonable price.

Hopefully not too much, especially if it's an Atom as if its price approaches anything near the Air, it's a no-brainer surely (unless they bury the Atom's deficiencies by aggressively market the superior portability)

Also I'd wonder exactly what they have in mind for an "all day" battery that sets "new standards for stamina." Apple uses the "all day" slogan for its batteries that last 7-8 hours, and there are already netbooks with Atoms that are as much as 50% longer lasting, with more on the way, so I wonder if they really have something good here in terms of battery life or if they're really excessively exaggerating.

According to Sony, the battery "will set the new standard for stamina". Let's see what they come up with.

Maybe they mean "all-day" for northern Greenland?

 

[mkrishnan]

Hopefully not too much, especially if it's an Atom as if its price approaches anything near the Air, it's a no-brainer surely (unless they bury the Atom's deficiencies by aggressively market the superior portability)

I can see some premium over the netbook market, but based on that list of specs, this thing really is worth at most around $600... and I have a really hard time believing Sony will launch it there.

 

[darrellishere]

If they put in the new dual core atom 330 and the Ion chipset, with 4gb of Ram it will perform exceptionally! Carbon fiber too! mmm! 1.5lb (Very good)!

I reckon the new redesigned thinner Macbook's will sport the new dual core atom / Nvidia Ion combo. Maybe white carbon fiber? LOL

So apple could have a powerful net-book after all. The all suiting reinvented Low cost White Macbook.

Have you seen these chips perform, they will cut it for the low end macbook user! Eg HD Video, games, plenty of ram.

Net-book tech finally has reached the expected point of processing and graphics power!

(As long as the iLife sweet of apps and snow leopard run well on the hardware).

 

[mkrishnan]

If they put in the new dual core atom 330 and the Ion chipset, with 4gb of Ram it will perform exceptionally! Carbon fiber too! mmm! 1.5lb (Very good)!

I think if you're expecting a 14mm, 0.7 kg notebook to run the Atom 330, the Ion, and 4GB of RAM, you have a very forgiving definition of all-day battery.

 

[hitekalex]

Smaller screen, weaker processor, Windows Vista, the backlight looks like crap. It is REALLY light though.

I think the Air is pretty safe for now.

You forgot the ugly VGA out port that sticks out like a sore thumb on this thing.

 

[elppa]

I think if you're expecting a 14mm, 0.7 kg notebook to run the Atom 330, the Ion, and 4GB of RAM, you have a very forgiving definition of all-day battery.

Maybe they take long lunches?

I can see some premium over the netbook market, but based on that list of specs, this thing really is worth at most around $600... and I have a really hard time believing Sony will launch it there.

This is a typical reaction to many recent Apple products i.e. “I would buy it if it was $300 cheaper”.

Sony's aim is to get back to creating aspirational products… maybe they will sell after all… Some of the engineering on this thing looks stunning. Love the fold out Ethernet port, very clever.

 

[darrellishere]

Well maybe it will be the crappy single core 1.6, which I've heard are really bad. But I do think the Atoms in general seem to be heading in the right directon Great Photo!!

 

[mkrishnan]

Sony's aim is to get back to creating aspirational products… maybe they will sell after all… Some of the engineering on this thing looks stunning. Love the fold out Ethernet port, very clever.

Maybe, but the $600 is already a 65-100% premium over comparable products -- it's hardly a bargain basement price. So this would be like Apple selling the 13" MBP for $2000+ or something. Creating aspirational products is great... pasting the aspirational label on something to justify an excessive price tag is different. I've often paid a lot for something I really like and will usually do so over paying less for something I don't like. But if they were, for instance, to put your Atom 330 and Ion in it and 4GB of RAM and it ended up with a 3.5 hour battery life... well... that's not something I aspire to. When a notebook weighs 700g but you can't take it anywhere without a bulky power supply, I feel that obviates the appeal of the light weight somewhat.

That all being said, it's pretty -- I'll give it that. I'll be interested to see how it shakes out.

 

[SeaneyC]

If this turns out to have a nice CULV instead of Atom, and with the 10hrs plus speculated battery life, this will be an instant buy for my work PC.

Integrated WWAN, funky ethernet port, SD/MS slot, 11.1" screen (hopefully 1280x800 or similar) MATTE, 700g, this is a beast!

And the price tag is pretty reasonable give what this packs in.

Shame there's no Mac OS, but I can live without it for work. DAY ONE!

 

[DAMNiatx]

Macbook Air just got serious rival from our Big Brother Sony...
hahahaha...

 

[bloodycape]

I'd like to think the Sony Vaio Z compares with the Air better, while still competing with the 13in MB, because it has the same specs as the Pro but with the weight of the Air. This just a 11in netbook. BTW with my Vaio TT a C2D SU930 1.2ghz(with speedstep ocing to 1.5ghz at time) I can get 6.5 hour with wifi and the dvd drive on, and one notch lower than 50%. Now if i turn of my DVD drive I can get an extra 30min I bet. The 13.1in Vaio Z gets 6 hours on stamina mode with the 4500hd gpu from what I hear, with the base battery and 9 hours with the larger battery. I have also read the Asia only 12in G3, can get 12 hours with the 6cell(?). So, I can see this getting like 9 hours with base battery and 12 with a larger one. I guess they are trying to take off where the X505 left things. Well at least with the Vista, Sony is offering a free upgrade to Windows 7, which is better than Vista. Shame Apple doesn't make an 11in device, or else I'd have one.

I just read that Sony said the Max price will be $2000, which I take is with a 256, or 512gb SSD, maybe a Core 2 Duo, or what ever low power Pineview CPU that comes out in the next few months.

 

[elppa]

If this turns out to have a nice CULV instead of Atom, and with the 10hrs plus speculated battery life, this will be an instant buy for my work PC.

Integrated WWAN, funky ethernet port, SD/MS slot, 11.1" screen (hopefully 1280x800 or similar) MATTE, 700g, this is a beast!

And the price tag is pretty reasonable give what this packs in.

Shame there's no Mac OS, but I can live without it for work. DAY ONE!

I feel the processor choice is crucial. Provided it can do HD video I think that is reasonable baseline.

Of all the video output options (DVI, HDMI, Display Port, Mini Display Port Proprietary with adapters) VGA is the worst for technology enthusiasts. It does make some sense as business customers and students are likely to want to hook it up to a projector at some stage. This is an ultra portable – you have to expect some compromises. I just hoped when I first saw it that Sony would have put HDMI out.