I am considering a VAIO FW series.
1. Does this series use BIOS or EFI?
2. Is the BIOS (EFI) locked down so that one must struggle to make adjustments, troubleshoot hardware etc?
3. If so, can it be unlocked?
4. Is it easy to upgrade the RAM, processor and hard drive?
When will Sony release a new line of notebooks instead of just a refresh? Will all of them be replaced at the same time?
View 6 Replies View RelatedIn looking to pick up a laptop and have it in my hands by late next week, I found that I had to go with the 2.26 GHz processor from the P-series. I was hoping for 2.4 GHz or better.
The reason I was willing to do so was that the notebook is coming equipped with an OCZ Vertex SSD at 120 GB.
My take is that the hard drive is still the bottleneck, so a mere 140 MHz difference in the presence of an SSD isn't going to be felt, and that a 2.4 GHz processor + SSD isn't going to really be snappier compared to a 2.26 GHz one with an SSD for most things.
I noticed that most of their current computers came out last July/August. Does Sony completely replace their whole line up every year or sometimes do they just update the previous year's model? Are any of the current models they offer more than a year old? How long before new laptops come out do they get announced?
View 6 Replies View Relatedthinking about getting a sony vaio sr for college...
however i dont want to buy a laptop now and find out that a updated version of the sr rolled out few months after...
so i was wondering when do sony update its vaio sr line...
you know like adding a better graphics card, processor, more HDD, and etc...
if you dont know at least tell me when sony vaio sr was updated in 2009....(i know it came out in 2008)
Seems like TT is being ended in most countries. And Acer, Dell, MSI, Asus, Toshiba and HP have all releases their CULV lines, I'm wondering if Sony will come too.
Did anyone hear/read anything about it?
I am aware of the X series but that's not what I would call CULV.
For an explanation of CULV: [url]
Has anyone had experience with the NS255 (or even the NS235 or NS290) that came out at the very end of last year? I've read some reviews that say the older NS135 and NS190 are average at best, but can't find any reviews on the newer 2xx line. Here are the specs I've found on the NS255:
Intel Core 2 Duo T6400 2.00 GHz Processor
2MB L2 Cache, 800MHz Bus speed
4096 MB DDR2 (PC2-6400) RAM Max: 4GB
250 GB (5400RPM) SATA Hard Drive
15.4" WXGA (1280 x 800) LCD XBRITE-ECO Display
Built-in 1.3 Megapixel Webcamera and Microphone
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3430 with up to 2040MB Shared Video Memory
DVD±R/RW Drive with Double Layer
Intel WiFi Link 5100AGN 802.11a/b/g/n
10/100/1000 Base-T Ethernet LAN
Built-in Memory Stick® Standard/Duo PRO with MagicGate™ Card Reader
Built-in Secure Digital (SD) memory card slot
ExpressCard 34 Slot
Connections: 4 x USB 2.0, IEEE 1394, Microphone-in, VGA, RJ-11 (Modem), RJ-45
Approximate Unit Dimensions: 14.18" (W) x 1.5" (H) x 10.63" (D)
Approximate Unit Weight: 6.4 Pounds
I'm not pleased with the lack of HDMI (my TV does not have VGA input) and Bluetooth but I suppose I could get by with S-video.
I'm set on a 15.4" screen and my needs are Web surfing, video over web, MS Office (lots of Word, Powerpoint, and Excel), light-moderate picture/video editing, light gaming (kids games), Skype, and video chat. I've run the FAQ under a different thread, but just trying to get some thoughts on this model.
I have the VAIO SR190 and want to upgrade to 8GB, but I have seen conflicting information if it will support 8GB.
View 8 Replies View RelatedIs the MIC input jack only mono or it allows Stereo Line In too?
View 4 Replies View Relatedi have a 3 month old Sony Z11 Laptop.
I have noticed some problems with my Screen, its like a faint line and a few dots in the top middle of the screen, it looks like its been caused by the keyboard when the lid is shut. It not a scratch but i think more marks than anything, tried cleaning but still no luck ?
I recall reading a couple of months ago about a new xps line coming out. In fact it was one of the reasons i passed on the m1330 but i havent seen any news about any new ones.
Anyone know if/when they are scheduled for?
I have been a SUPER happy customer with my M1730. I originally owned an XPS Gen 2 (way back in the day). My question is, are they going to make a new successor to M1730? It's been a while, I've seen DELL come out with the new lower XPS line (13/16). Also now with the Adamo. However, I see no mention of further XPS 17XX. Have they discontinued it?
I know they purchased Alienware, but I just don't like Alienware, it looks a little to geeky for me.
If they took the M1730 and just upgraded the board so we could get the 1333Mhz RAM + G270M Video card + QuadCore (However, I'm pretty happy with my X9000)
I'm a bit confused and not too knowledgeable on the latest line:
what are the major differences, and/or the pros and cons between the differences of the inspirons and inspiron Z notebooks?
i.e. Inspiron 14 vs Inspiron 14z
wondering when you guys speculate the new line of XPS laptops will come out?
I'm anxious to see if they'll have an upgrade to the 2010.
I asked Acer hotline over the phone for the service guide to my TravelMate laptop, and a very friendly hot-line-guy told me to get it from retrevo.com or from laptoprepair101.com - both sites, however, have been told (from Acer or ?) not to host the Acer service guides any more.
One or two compagnies still seems to have them for sale, but as I don't have any possibility to buy over the net - and don't find it reasonable, either, to pay for the guide to a computer that was expensive enough when it was bought ...
I can find a lot of reasons for Acer (and other manufact.) not to include the service guides in the box together with new laptops - and I might even be able to find good reasons as well for not making it too easy to get the guides at the internet - as long as the products are still produced or as long they are newer than 2 years - but after that time I cannot find any reason at all why they still want their customers to pay for the service guide at a 3.part compagny.
It's UNREASONABLE and UNFAIR - so next time I buy a laptop I might look for another brand with a little more customer friendly policy.
As a matter of fact it is dangerous not to clean the cooler now and then - not doing it might in the worst case cause a fire, so as long as they don't mount a little 'door' to open for removing dangerous dust-cakes they should at least let the service guides be reachable from their service hot-line.
Acer hot-line has no techniciants and nobody there knew how to clean the cooler but admitted that it's important to do it - uncool, unhot or unacer ...
Trying to use Dell Financing to get a laptop and had a question.
Dell has 12 months no payment for "Studio Performance" laptops. I cannot find the perrformance line. Is this the same as the regular Studio 15 and 17 line?
They also have 12 months no payments for Sudio XPS and XPS but they are a bit out of my price range.
I purchased a Dell Inspiron 9200 in Janaury 2005. It has been an excellent laptop since day #1, but an upgrade is now in order!
Can ANYBODY have a clue as to when Dell will release laptops based on the new CENTRINO 2 line? I'd love to buy another Dell, but if they don't plan on upgrading the hardware soon, then I'll have to go to another brand.
Well im currently using the Dell XPS M1330 since 2008 let me say it has been awesome! The only problem has been the battery which has been dead since early February I believe so I have been operating using the adapter.
The dead battery is still in the laptop.
However, now my idle temps are over 75 c and often over 80 c, so im thinking about selling this in fact I will be selling this shortly. Especially given the fact that the warranty ran out in February of this year.
Anyhow, im wondering if the XPS line will be refreshed in 2010 and when can we expect some new XPS models.
I only purchase my computers from Best Buy and currently they really do not have anything which really grabs me
Anybody know ?
View 10 Replies View RelatedI got an Acer Extensa 5420 a few months ago refurbished and at first everything seemed fine. A month or so later I noticed that the line out had a small crack in the middle of the green ring.. a little annoying but my headphones seemed to work fine so I just ignored it. After using the line out for a few months it's become more and more faulty. Now, when I plug in headphones no sound comes out, it doesn't even recognize anything is plugged in unless I have it turned at the exact right angle. I know the audio jack is just screwed up, but what options do I have to fix this problem?
View 7 Replies View RelatedI think Acer just hit a niche market with the Timeline series. No other manufacturer has touched this area before. The first time I saw the specs I knew I wanted one. The price/weight/performance/battery life ratio can not be matched by any notebook on the market. Or am I wrong? What other notebooks are there? Where can I buy a 13.3 inch Acer Timeline in Canada?
View 10 Replies View Relatedi have a hp zx5000 and i turned it on today after not being used for 2 weeks and just left of the center is a vertical line of purple pixels.
View 5 Replies View RelatedI turned on my C563NR notebook today to find a vertical red/pink line running down the left side. Bad LCD? Inverter board?
View 6 Replies View RelatedHewlett-Packard expands its Mini (netbook) "information snacking (HP Press)" series with 3 new models, eta summer 2009
. Mini 110 XP Edition,
. Mini 110 Mi Edition
. Mini 1101.
The Minis are of light weight (2+lbs) with a 10.1" screen, and offer buyers a choice between 1.6ghz N270 or 1.66GHz N280 Intel Atom.
The Mini 110 XP Edition comes with:
. up to 1 GB RAM (I don't understand why they just say 1gigo period?)
. 32GB SSD or 160GB HHD - after the find that SSD in netbook are "slow" I think I will stick with the traditional HDD unless HP can state otherwise )
. optional (why optional?) W-WAN.
. optional Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Video Accelerator, for a 1080HD video experience. HP expects this optional feature to be available in July. I am writing up a small post on this Broadcom Crystal HD enhanced shortly, or if anyone care to jump in first (?)
. choice of "Black Swirl", "Pink Chic" and "White Swirl" looks.
The Mini 110 Mi Edition aka “mobile companion” device dashboard can launch Web browsing apps, e-mail, online video enjoyment. HP claims that this would minimize start-up time. The dashboard can be customized to add most used functions...
I'm trying to put my mic or even my guitar (yes i have a mixer) through the line in/headphone jack, but the internal mic is the only one being recognised. What the heck? And in the mic options there is only System setting and built-in (both have the same result)
View 7 Replies View Relatedsome one to get their Mic working using line in (3.5mm jack). I decided to test mine, well, it doesn't work either, and some one else there said theirs didn't work too. Then he posts this link. [url]
Wow, so the Line-in port is not powered, that means any Mic that isn't powered will not work.
The bottom line is that this laptops are not worthy to buy!
1. Throttling Issue (No real fix so far)
2. Random freezing (Speculations about driver fix)
3. Brightness control stops working randomly (remove batery to fix)
4. Sub-buffer rattles (nobody knows why)
5. Stereo leaks between left and right (no fix)
6. System runs extremely hot (1645 a little bit less than 1640)
All-in-all nice looking and feature complete laptop with a lot of issues.
new precisin line (M4400 and M6400).
Most of them are solvable, but they require some effort.
A bit disappointing since I wish dell had come out with their top precision line which worked flawlessly "out of the box". Precision laptops have some great hardware and I would like to see dell kicking MBPs butt.
So, did drop the ball on the precision line ? Should it demand more from the device driver development team ?
I have a 1520, 2Ghz Duo, 2.5 Gb Ram, running XP.....I also have a Line6 Guitarport USB audio interface. When I use this the audio often drops out a lot, especially when acessing the hard drive - what can I do about this? -
it's a 5400RPM drive - will upgrading to a 7200RPM improve things? It seems something is effecting the USB data stream.
The hard drive I have is a WDC WD1200BEVS-75UST 120GB
Also, is the drive running in SATA mode - when using HD tune it says:
Standard: ATA/ATAPI-8 - SATA I
Supported: UDMA Mode 6 / ATA/133
Active: UDMA MODE 5 ATA/100
I have an E4300 with Windows 7 and Bios A07.
I am trying to record the sound coming out of a mixer and going into the line-in jack.
I use a cable which has the RCA on one end, and 1/8 inch on the other. I used MixCraft to do the recording, but
the sound is terrible--it's really noisy.