Sony VAIO S Series Coming to U.S.

Sony didn't announce the new VAIO S Series13" widescreen notebook series this week, but we can tell you it will be out in the U.S. soon and have internal and external pictures and the user manual for you to read. Thanks to the FCC for posting these pictures and documents!

Sony VAIO S Series Notebook picture from Sony Japan website

After a device shows up on the FCC website, it is usually released within the next month or two.

Here's a link to the Japanese VAIO website where the new S series is featured

http://www.vaio.sony.co.jp/Products/VGN-S70B/

Here's a link to the Sony VAIO S SeriesUser manual (draft 2):

https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=421568&native_or_pdf=pdf

Sony VAIO S Series being tested in FCC labs

Sony VAIO S Series being tested in FCC labs

Sony VAIO S Series being tested in FCC labs

Sony VAIO S Series being tested in FCC labs

Here's an example configuration specs for an S Series:

Sony VAIO VGN-S90PS

Microsoft Windows XP Professional
13.3" WXGA Xbrite
Intel Pentium M 745 1.80 GHz
1GB (512MB DDR333 x 2)
60GB HDD
MOBILITY RADEON 9700[VRAM64MB]
$3,328.21 (377,790 Yen) including 3 year warranty

 

The real question is how heavy.

 

wow, thats like everything i ever wanted from a laptop. small size and widescreen, with no sacrifice on power. but, that price, is enough to send anyone running. yikes.

 

The real question is how heavy.

1.89kg (4.16 lbs)

I posted the specs earlier in the Sony forum:

No S or E series announcement?

but, that price, is enough to send anyone running. yikes.

In the Japanese custom configurator, I priced a lower spec model to under $2,000:

Pentium M 1.5GHz
256 MB RAM (throw in some cheap Crucial)
Radeon 9700 64MB
40GB HD
DVD-ROM/CD-RW
basic warranty
215,040 Yen ($1,876)

 

Bah, we want the 755 with DVD+/-RW and a 128 MB 9700 for under $2000. Sony's pricing is a joke.

 

Yea, Tron's right. I hope other companies follow suit and bring out 13 inch widescreens with just as much power as the vaio s90, without the sony price.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by jugges

 

Wow... This laptop seams amazing...in all honesty guys...when do you really think this lappy will be available because I'm going to need one for grad school and my deadline to buy one is within the next 2 months.

 

Anyone know what resolution this thing will support? I can't wait till this hits the states

 

this has 64 mb virtual ram? What kind of performance decrease compared to dedicated ram can we expect?

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by sdnotebook

 

I don't know, thats y i asked. To me, VRAM means virtual ram as in shared with system RAM. I don't know if that changes meaning when talkin about notebooks. Anyone know for sure?

 

VRAM has a special specifications and the most importaint feature is that video RAM are dual-ported, which means that while the processor is writing a new image to video RAM, the display is reading from video RAM to refresh its current display content. The dual-port design is the main difference between main RAM and video RAM.
In the past i mean in 90's they were using most often such a type of memory, as WRAM Windowd RAM, which is unrelated to Microsoft Windows, but is very fast high-performance video RAM that is dual-ported and has about 25% more bandwidth than VRAM but costs less. It has features that make it more efficient to read data for use in block fills and text drawing. It can be used for very high resolution (such as 1600 by 1200 pixels) using true color. It was used in the Matrox Millenium video card.
There were SGRAM(Synchronous Graphics Random Access Memory) and so on....

 

You can translate the all the japanese links by going to babelfish.altavista.com. Enter the URL and it will roughly translate the product features. This laptop sounds absolutly amazing! I am thinking of waiting to get this laptop rather than the A series because I really dont need a tv tuner, and the A series is a little too big. I hope the 13.3 inch screen doesnt strain my eyes too much, what do you people think about the 13.3 inch screen? I guess i could buy a monitor if i really needed to. I do a lot of CAD work, word documents ,and gaming. But I would use it on a plane twice a year, thats why Im thinkin of gettin a smaller lappy.

 

This lappy should be available by the end of next month, I forget where I got that information, but I know it was from several sources, so it should be right. I cant wait. Ill hook up an external flat panel for gaming at home, and tits great on planes and for school!

 

It's out! It's out! It's out! It's out! It's out! The S series was released today in the U.S. But, of course, there are big dissapointments.

-You can't buy a customized version of the notebook, so you can get a maximum of only 512 mb of ram. (If you want more you must order it seperately from them or another vender and put it in yourself)

-It came with a radeon 9200! This sucks because it has only 32 mb of onboard ram. You can't change this!! Is this even better than the TR with its 64mb of shared video ram. They're prob. equal!

Oh no!

 

Oh well, guess ill have to order from japan...

|Tab

 

I saw the S series the other day at Fry's. What's the deal with the keyboard?!! Man o man, it deflects at least 1/8" in the center, but it is solid on the edges. It's like typing on a sponge. With the screen and the kyb being the most frequent touch points, this is a killer for me. I really like Sony, but boy, do they make it hard to buy with complete confidence.[xx(]

 

This seems like a manufacturing defect that only happens to some S Series keyboards. I would strongly recommend contacting Sony about this before too many get sold and returned. The same thing happened a year ago when the Inspiron 8600 got the same problem.

--------------------
Compaq Presario 2800T
Pentium 4-M 1.6 GHz - 15" UXGA
512 MB RAM - 40 GB (5400 rpm)
ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 64 MB
Pretty good for 2002 isn't it?

 

It looks like Sony is offering more options on the US model now. Radeon 9700, 1GB RAM, etc. I just checked the web site.

 

I saw it at Frys too, and had the same reaction. The keys in the middle of the keyboard of the S sink! [:0]
I'm medium force kind of typist and noticed it as soon as I touched the middle range keys. The Z series was right next to it, and that keyboard feels soft but nice and firm. A bit like those pillow top mattresses, where you feel the firmness but it has the necessary give.


so many keyboards, only two hands

 

I spoke too soon, I didnt see the reply where it had a radeon 9700.. got a couple of questions though,

1)what is the rpms of the hard drives ? Im assuming 4200 since the 80 gig 5400 is the most expensive. And if thats true is there any way to get a 5400 60 gig?

2)is the optical drive part of the laptop or is it connected through USB or other? I'm guessing since they said optical and not USB drive, then its part of the laptop. If so how much weight does the CDRW/DVD drive add to it?

3) how much weight does the double capacity lithion io battery add to it?

4) the 9700 has how much Video Ram ?

Here is my configuration.

LCD Display:
13.3" WXGA TFT with XBRITE Technology and ATI Mobility RADEON 9700 Graphic Chipset
Operating System:
Microsoft Window XP Home Edition
Processor:
Intel Pentium M Processor 755 (Processor speed 2 GHz, 2 MB L2 Cache, 400 MHz FSB)
Wireless Lan:
Wireless LAN with Bluetooth Technology
Memory:
256 MB DDR-SDRAM (DDR333, 256 MBx1)
Hard Drive:
60 GB Hard Disk Drive
Optical Drive:
CD-RW/DVD drive
Pre-Installed Office Software:
Microsoft Works 7.0 with Office 2003 "Small Business" Trial Edition
Battery:
Lithium-ion (double capacity) (3S3P)
VAIO Creation Suite MUSIC Software:
Music Standard - Includes SonicStage and VAIO Media
VAIO Creation Suite PHOTO Software:
Photo Standard - Includes PictureGear Studio and VAIO Media
VAIO Software:
Video Standard - Includes DVgate Plus and VAIO Media
Service:
No VOS Service
Warranty:
1 Year Warranty

Top of Page


S Series Notebook

Price as configured:
$3114.99
as low as $78.00/ mo
Financing Detail

I need two of these by the end of the summer so feel free to provide lots of comments along with answers

 

the dell 700m to come out shortly will have very similar features, for probably near half the price (although you'd have to buy and put the ram in yourself without jacking the price up $1000).

 

where are the specs for this 700m? I've never owned a sony and feel as it would be higher quality than a Dell, which I do own, but I will keep an open mind. Especially if the sony S series only has 32 mb VRAM.