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

[bloodycape]

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

If this comes with at least the intel 4500hd it can do HD video, heck from what I hear the the Atom Z cpu, with the Intel GMA500(like in the Vaio P, and a few other netbooks) can do HD, with a few videos causing a bit of a stutter. So, unless your talking about Flash HD, which requires at least the Dual Core cpu view it with out to much of a lag, then HD video isn't the best of marks imo. Oddly enough, the GMA950, which older Macbooks and many netbooks have, can't do HD video(with out stuttering), but do have slight better gaming performances vs the GMA500.

I am hearing that if this comes with a Pineview cpu it will have 18W combined power usage(gpu and cpu), vs the 10w for the SU9x00 line and 17w for the SL line cpu. I hear the gpu should be better than the intel 4500hd but not sure about the cpu, but it could be faster than the SU and SL @ lower power usage?

 

[Jobsian]

I have to say I'm very excited about what the top spec is going to be for this

If it's anything even approaching some of the more optimistic guesses in the thread so far, I'll be interested.

Sensational form factor, almost 1/2 the weight of the MBA! Love the addition of carbon fiber. The form factor is what makes me so excited about devices like this and the Air.

However if it's too much of a performance hit eg X505 or Vaio P (except for the damn lucky Japanese), then I lose interest. Every time I read electronics websites and I see a new laptop in a nice form factor come along like the Adamo which piques my interest, as soon as my eyes fall on words like "Atom", "PATA", "1GB", "Intel graphics" my interest drops to zero. Same for the word "Vista". The only OS's I'd have on such a device are MacOS and XP. Win 7 at a push.

 

[bloodycape]

I got this from another forum.
"Pineview/Pinetrail is the next generation Atom. So far the only know processor is the N450, which is basically an N280 with the gpu moved onto the cpu die. It will be 64-bit and support DDR2-667 memory. It is still single core, and not better than an SL or SU processor."

So, if it is 64bit then that means there should be 4gb of ram support, and possibly 6gb or even 8gb of unofficial support.

 

[Jobsian]

I have to say I hope the specs are sensational for this, if only to provoke an even stronger response from Apple's MBA division

 

[slapguts]

http://gizmodo.com/5351061/rail+thin-carbon-fiber-sony-vaio-x-series-video-and-details

Giz did a bit on this, and has a video which shows almost nothing.

There is a screencap of what looks to be an extremely flimsy lid. Not sure how displays handle this kind of bending over time.

 

[elppa]

http://gizmodo.com/5351061/rail+thin-carbon-fiber-sony-vaio-x-series-video-and-details

Giz did a bit on this, and has a video which shows almost nothing.

There is a screencap of what looks to be an extremely flimsy lid. Not sure how displays handle this kind of bending over time.

I think this is fairly typical of the high end VAIO range, as the Z lid flexes a fair bit as well. I think you'd have to be fairly clumsy to do any lasting damage to it though.

 

[Gen]

That is sexy.

 

[bloodycape]

I think that is typical of most Carbon Fiber lids, I know my TT does it, and I haven't heard of an issue yet. Sadly I am also reading that if this comes with Pineview it be using a modified inte gma500 gpu, which does hd. However, isn't OSX compatible like the most other Atom netbooks with the gma950.

 

[coldmack]

I don't know why this being compared to the MBA since this is 11in netbook. Alright so it is the MBA of netbooks but still.

 

[SeaneyC]

I don't know why this being compared to the MBA since this is 11in netbook. Alright so it is the MBA of netbooks but still.

Did you even read the article? There's quite a possibility that this WON'T come with an Atom processor, at which point it becomes a real threat to the Air. Almost as powerful, but twice the battery life, with HALF the weight and smaller size? It's not just an 11inch netbook.

 

[MacModMachine]

Did you even read the article? There's quite a possibility that this WON'T come with an Atom processor, at which point it becomes a real threat to the Air. Almost as powerful, but twice the battery life, with HALF the weight and smaller size? It's not just an 11inch netbook.

it will only have a atom,

there is no way they can cool a ulv chip in that.

 

[Jobsian]

Ooh interesting news RE the processor, from Engadget:

"According to Sony, the choice of an Atom processor is far from decided and is only on display to run the engineering prototypes here at IFA, so there's still hope for at least CULV internals when this thing ships."

 

[Jobsian]

Engadget also say:

"P.S. It'll be announced with official specs in October with units available for retail about a week after Windows 7 launches."

 

[Jobsian]

Here's Engadget's hands-on: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/02/hands-on-sony-x-series-slimster/

Doesn't sound too powerful with its current processor. Really hope they bump it for final release.

 

[Jobsian]

You know, the more I look at this (it must be stunning to hold), the more I think "imagine what the next iteration of an Air might be" - with even this Vaio X wasting space with things like folding feet and a removable battery, imagine what Apple's Air division will be able to do with a unibody design/non-removable battery etc

Come on Apple, pleeeease announce another Air!

 

[Outrigger]

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.

a notebook that has a 512GB SSD priced at $2k or below? Please, whatever you're smoking, please pass it this way cause it must be really good.

Prices for a 512GB SSD ALONE is over $1K. Sony makes premium products and charges a premium price for it. Whats reasonable about the Vaio P that they charge $800 for?

 

[SeaneyC]

it will only have a atom,

there is no way they can cool a ulv chip in that.

The TDP on the Pentium M 1.1 in the old X505 was 5W, with 5 year old cooling tech, the new CULV chips are 10W, maybe there's a new dual core CULV chip in the works they are waiting on? The current MBAir chip is 17W, I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility that this won't be an Atom based model.

Don't get me wrong, i'm fully aware that it won't be a 2.13Ghz C2D, but I personally don't think most people need it.

IF Sony can deliver this laptop with a CULV i think it will sell in significant numbers. I just wish Apple would produce something similar, the form factor is amazing.

 

[fehhkk]

The main thing I like about the Apple notebooks (MBP and MBA) is the Ion platform (9400M). You have no idea how much the integrated Intel Graphics cards suck until you use them (I have an N270 Atom with an Intel GMA950 and video performance is AWEFUL).

Why can't more vendors adopt this?

 

[mkrishnan]

The main thing I like about the Apple notebooks (MBP and MBA) is the Ion platform (9400M). You have no idea how much the integrated Intel Graphics cards suck until you use them (I have an N270 Atom with an Intel GMA950 and video performance is AWEFUL).

Why can't more vendors adopt this?

Well, Apple themselves didn't exactly adopt this years and years ago.

There are a number of netbooks coming out with Ion this fall, although I think it just doesn't get the kind of battery life the Atom does with the 950.

The other problem is that an Atom + Ion combo does well with highly accelerate-able video but not with things like Flash (or QT in Windows, as I understand it). So that means that Hulu for instance isn't that great on an Atom+Ion machine -- it's the C2D that's helping you there and not the Ion.

 

[bloodycape]

a notebook that has a 512GB SSD priced at $2k or below? Please, whatever you're smoking, please pass it this way cause it must be really good.

Prices for a 512GB SSD ALONE is over $1K. Sony makes premium products and charges a premium price for it. Whats reasonable about the Vaio P that they charge $800 for?

Ah, didn't know 512ssd cost that much. Thought it cost a little less. I doubt this can fit 2 x 256 ssd like the thicker TT can, but one can hope for 512gb ssd drive. I do agree there is nothing reasonable about the Vaio P, but I can see why some would get a P. Now if the P was lets say $300-$400 like most netbooks(hell even $450 with a 80gb ssd that is wouldn't be too bad), I would have possibly gotten one to complement my MBP instead. Now if the X comes with a CULV with gpu that is better than what my TT has I'd go for it.

 

[tim2006]

is it led?

 

[Gruber]

Two days ago, I had a chance to try this thing at IFA in Berlin. I loved the form factor and the robust feel. There is some flex, but it does not feel flimsy at all.
The display lighting was adequate for an ultraportable, and the subjective speed was ok too.

Unlike a certain Apple computer, it comes with a reasonable set of ports (Ethernet, 2xUSB, VGA, no asinine proprietary video output).

The attendants told me that it would run 8h with the current 4 cell battery, and that other battery options would currently be considered. They refused to be specific wrt the processor, but we can expect some kind of CULV, above the current Atoms, and below the current Air. (The did not build a fan into the design.)

I was unhappy with the keyboard, though. Like in the Vaio P, it is put into a depression with a relatively sharp border below the bottom row. When you press the space bar, your thumb will come to rest on that border. Generally, the chiclet keys are widely spaced but do not have the same satisfying feel as in Apple's current devices.

700g is absolutely amazing (this is a little more than half the weight of an Air). The form factor is perfect for my needs, and the speed is sufficient. I would consider paying up to 2500 EUR, mainly because of the portability. Unfortunately, the keyboard kills it for me. Maybe they improve that before the launch?

 

[jdechko]

imagine what Apple's Air division will be able to do with a unibody design/non-removable battery etc

You do realize that the Air was the first Apple portable to have both of those things, right?

 

[Jobsian]

You do realize that the Air was the first Apple portable to have both of those things, right?

Yup dude, I meant that if Sony could manage 700g with the inefficiencies of a removable battery and clip-stands, imagine what Apple can achieve with their superior design efficiency and today's tech!

 

[Jobsian]

Two days ago, I had a chance to try this thing at IFA in Berlin. I loved the form factor and the robust feel. There is some flex, but it does not feel flimsy at all.
The display lighting was adequate for an ultraportable, and the subjective speed was ok too.

Unlike a certain Apple computer, it comes with a reasonable set of ports (Ethernet, 2xUSB, VGA, no asinine proprietary video output).

The attendants told me that it would run 8h with the current 4 cell battery, and that other battery options would currently be considered. They refused to be specific wrt the processor, but we can expect some kind of CULV, above the current Atoms, and below the current Air. (The did not build a fan into the design.)

I was unhappy with the keyboard, though. Like in the Vaio P, it is put into a depression with a relatively sharp border below the bottom row. When you press the space bar, your thumb will come to rest on that border. Generally, the chiclet keys are widely spaced but do not have the same satisfying feel as in Apple's current devices.

700g is absolutely amazing (this is a little more than half the weight of an Air). The form factor is perfect for my needs, and the speed is sufficient. I would consider paying up to 2500 EUR, mainly because of the portability. Unfortunately, the keyboard kills it for me. Maybe they improve that before the launch?

Thanks for the hands-on input dude, much appreciated.

One of my only gripes with an ultraportable like this would be excessive heating/CPU throttling and subsequent stuttering when playing videos esp YouTube. If it meets this minimum criterion for me, I'll be happy.

Other than that, this does look amazing so far!