In general terms, the design of the new representatives of the Sony Z-series does not differ from the design of last year’s Z-series. The chopped shapes characteristic of the modern VAIO style remained in place, the materials did not change: the bottom and lid are made of carbon fiber, the working panel is made of aluminum alloy.

We were a little unlucky: the laptop came into our hands in a special “collector’s” edition dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the VAIO brand. The corresponding engraving can be found on the aluminum base of the lid, which, on the occasion of the special edition, changed its color from natural light silver to black.

If that was all there was to it, it would even be good. But no: a special edition primarily involves a special design of the body panels. Firstly, they show a pronounced carbon fiber structure. And secondly, all panels are generously coated with a thick layer of varnish.

Not only the bottom, but also the lid. Without varnishing, only the working panel. And that’s only because it’s aluminum. If there had been carbon fiber here too, they would have filled it with varnish too.

Smooth surfaces become covered with so many fingerprints after the first couple of hours of use that we decided not to include photos of the “patched” laptop - so as not to scare readers away from a good model that was simply unlucky with the special version.

But in the pictures and on the counter, this version of the VAIO Z13 looks really beautiful. Depending on the lighting, the material changes color - from gray to brownish.

At the time of its announcement, last year's VAIO Z series was probably the thinnest in the 13-inch laptop class. However, a lot of time has passed since then, the Koreans and Taiwanese have rushed into this market segment, and designers from the Land of the Rising Sun did not radically reshape the “Z”. So compared to its most talented competitors, it looks not so much thin.

This, however, is not scary: but the case fits everything or almost everything that the owner might need. So from the point of view of a reasonable buyer, this loss is actually a gain. The Japanese did not fall for the race of millimeters, well done.

We have a protractor and we are not afraid to use it!

Despite the smaller display diagonal than its competitors, the VAIO Z13 body is half a centimeter wider (longer?). Therefore, it accommodates a wider keyboard unit.

True, the designers did not make very good use of the additional space: on the right side of the keyboard there are several pressed keys (Shift, as well as period and comma in the English layout). But the left Shift, Control and Caps Lock turned out to be truly royal in size.

The keyboard is short-travel - it seems to be the shortest of all those currently used in laptops. The keyboard block and the case are a little lacking in rigidity: if you are accustomed to an “aggressive style” of typing, then you are unlikely to like this. However, those who type barely touching the keys (which is correct) will not notice this flaw - the body is still not so “papery”.

Reddish things under the key caps are backlight elements

As in the previous generation, there is an electroluminescent keyboard backlight, less bright, but more economical than the usual LED options. This year, such backlights are in fashion: Samsung used this backlight in the updated Series 9 laptops, and Acer chose the same option for the Aspire S7 ultrabook.

The backlight turns on only automatically - when you press any key, but only on the condition that the sensor reports an insufficient level of external lighting. The backlight also turns off automatically 10 seconds after the last press.

Sony has abandoned the hardware slider switch for wireless networks. Now their state can only be controlled programmatically, which is not always convenient. Otherwise, the set of additional elements above the keyboard remains the same: three auxiliary touch buttons, a light sensor, and a microphone.

The power button is positioned in such a way that it can be pressed accidentally. To reduce the likelihood of overlays, it is made very tight

The touchpad is a controversial element of the VAIO Z; it has both pros and cons. As in all ultra-thin laptops, the panel is made as a single unit with buttons, and there is only one physical “clicker”, it is located in the center. However, on buttons, sensitivity is only used to detect right and left clicks. This avoided the typical problems with current ultrabooks in recognizing what is a press and what is a cursor move or multi-touch gesture. So working with the panel as a whole is quite convenient.

And it would be even more convenient if the panel were more spacious: the sensitive area is more than two times smaller in area than that of competitors - only 73x40 mm. It's a bit cramped.

Compared to the currently fashionable ultrabooks, the range of on-board interfaces of the VAIO Z13 can frankly please almost any user. There are two video outputs (VGA and HDMI), a pair of memory card readers (SD and branded Memory Stick), a connector for connecting a wired network and two USB 3.0 ports. Absolutely all connectors are full-size; you don’t need to carry adapters with you.

Two dark rectangles deep in the right USB port - optical Thunderbolt

One of the USB ports has a built-in Thunderbolt interface in its optical version. Theoretically, Sony could already switch to a standard electrical connector. But for this, we would have to get rid of the USB port or HDMI, because there was simply no free space left in the laptop. This is probably why the designers considered it more expedient to preserve the original solution, which is as compact as possible.

Dock connector combines power, USB and optical Thunderbolt

The dock itself looks the same: Sony believes the main option for its placement is vertical. For this purpose, the kit includes a special stand, beautiful and weighted, so that the structure does not tend to fall on its side.

However, you can place the attachment horizontally - this option is also provided for by the design.

The docking station doesn't so much expand the range of ports - there are only two additional USB 2.0 connectors - but it duplicates them.

In addition, it has an optical drive. If you still need it for some reason. In our case, the laptop was equipped with the most advanced dock, with a Blu-ray writer. But there are simpler options - with BD-ROM or DVD-RW.

Among other things, all configurations intended for the Russian market will have a cellular modem installed in the VAIO Z13. Moreover, it supports not only 3G, but also LTE - which also operates in the 2600 MHz band that is relevant for our country.

To remove the SIM card tray, you need an “iceclip”

⇡ Technical specifications

Sony VAIO Z1311Z9R
CPU	Intel Core i7-3612QM: 2.1 GHz (up to 3.1 GHz with Turbo Boost); 4x256 KB L2; 6 MB L3; four computing cores
Chipset	Intel HM77 (ID1E57)
Graphics controller	Intel HD 4000, integrated into the processor AMD Radeon 7670M, 1 GB DDR3 (in dock)
Screen	13.1 inches, 1920x1080; TN technology Semi-matte finish, LED backlight (AU Optronics B131HW02 V0)
RAM	8 GB, DDR3-1600 (two expansion slots, non-standard modules)
HDD	SSD 256 GB Non-standard form factor
Optical drive	BD-RW 6x (Sony Optiarc BD-5850H) in the docking station
Flash card connector	SD (SDHC/SDXC) Memory Stick PRO-HG
Interfaces	2 x USB 3.0 1 x HDMI 1 x VGA 1 x RJ-45 1 x headphone output (mini-jack 3.5 mm) 1 x optical Thunderbolt connector for connecting a docking station (combined with USB)
Interfaces in the docking station	1 x USB 3.0 2 x USB 2.0 1 x HDMI 1 x VGA 1 x RJ-45 1 x Thunderbolt optical connector for laptop connection
3G	Sierra Wireless AirPrime MC7710 LTE/HSPA+LTE 800/900/1800/2100/2600 MHz WCDMA 900/2100 MHz EDGE/GPRS/GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz Up to 100 Mbit/s DL, up to 50 Mbit/s UL
WiFi	802.11a/b/g/n (Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235)
Bluetooth	4.0 (Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235)
Network adapter	10/100/1000 Mbps (Realtek RTL8168/8111)
Sound	Realtek ALC275 two speakers, microphone
Battery	Removable flat cell battery 45 Wh (4000 mAh, 11.1 V) Possibility of connecting a second battery
power unit	65 W (19.5 V; 3.3 A) For docking station: 120 W (19.5 V; 6.2 A)
Touchpad	With dedicated buttons, 73x40 mm (Synaptics)
Other	Carbon fiber cover, carbon fiber and aluminum body, keyboard backlight, light sensor, webcam
Size	330x210x16.5 mm (19 mm including legs)
Weight	1185 g
operating system	Windows 7 Professional SP1 (64 bit)
Official manufacturer's warranty	24 months
recommended price	RUB 119,999

Traditionally, one of the most striking features of the VAIO Z line is the use of “full-size” mobile processors instead of low-voltage models. IN the newest generation Sony designers went even further: the Z13 of 2012 is the first laptop weighing around a kilogram, which has a quad-core processor installed.

This became possible thanks to the fact that this year Intel introduced a quad-core model with lower power consumption. The Core i7-3612QM's TDP is 35 W, similar to mobile dual-core CPUs, rather than 45 W like typical quads designed for use in large laptops. The operating frequencies of the i7-3612QM are slightly lower than those of the i7-3610QM, but not much. Otherwise, the characteristics of the processors are identical.

	Frequency	Turbo Boost Frequency	L2 cache	TDP
Core i7-3610QM	2.3 GHz	3.3 GHz	6 MB	45 W
Core i7-3612QM	2.1 GHz	3.1 GHz	6 MB	35 W

Unlike many ultrabooks, in which the memory is soldered on the motherboard, Sony uses removable modules in Z series laptops. But the modules are non-standard, so it is impossible to replace them yourself - there is simply nowhere to buy them. So you should think about the required volume in advance. In our case, the laptop had two DDR3-1600 modules installed with a capacity of 4 GB each - a total of 8 GB.

There is no external video adapter on board the laptop: in mobile mode you will have to be content with the standard Intel HD 4000 solution integrated into the processor.

In this CPU model, the nominal frequency of the graphics core is higher than in low-voltage processors. But the ceiling of the Turbo Boost mode is slightly lower. Looking ahead: despite this, the Sony VAIO Z13 still turns out to be faster in graphics tests than absolutely all ultrabooks - more efficient system cooling helps keep the graphics core overclocked longer.

	Base frequency, MHz	Turbo Boost frequency, MHz
Core i5-3217U	350	1050
Core i5-3317U	350	1050
Core i5-3427U	350	1150
Core i7-3517U	350	1150
Core i7-3667U	350	1150
Core i7-3612QM	650	1100

In addition to the video adapter built into the processor, an external one is also available for the Sony VAIO Z13. External in every sense, because it is installed in a docking station.

The driver is not the latest - but there is no other one for the exotic VAIO Z graphics yet

At the moment, three configurations are available for the Russian market: expensive, insanely expensive and “at the price of an airplane.” When testing, we dealt with the latter - first of all, it differs in the matrix used and the presence of a docking station in the package.

	Display	CPU	Memory	SSD	Docking station included	3G/LTE	Price
SVZ1311Z9R	1920x1080	Core i7-3612QM	8 GB	256 GB	+	+	RUB 119,999
SVZ1311X9R	1600x900	Core i7-3612QM	8 GB	256 GB	-	+	RUR 99,999
SVZ1311V9R	1600x900	Core i5-3210M	4 GB	128 GB	-	+	RUB 69,999

It must be said that in the American market there are simply no analogues of the younger version: all VAIO Z13 in the States are sold with a Full HD display and 8 GB of RAM (though with Windows 7 Home Premium in the base). Accordingly, the older version, excluding taxes, costs $2,399, and the younger ones - with the specified amendments in the configuration - will cost $1,949 and $1,599, respectively.

So buying the VAIO Z13 outside the bounds turns out to be even more profitable than Apple products: in the case of younger versions, in addition to tangible savings, you will also be able to get a more advanced display. And in the case of the older one, the savings amount to more than a thousand euros, there is nothing to comment on.

Obviously, all sellers understand this very well, so even now the recommended prices are not observed particularly strictly - the VAIO Z13 can be easily found 10-15 thousand cheaper than the official price. If you wait until mid-winter, prices will obviously drop even lower.

⇡ Internal structure of Sony VAIO Z13

There is not a single component in the VAIO Z13 that its owner could replace on his own. In addition, the design of the laptop is very delicate, so if you need to get under the hood, we strongly recommend that you do not do anything on your own and contact a service center.

It is impossible to make a part of complex shape from carbon fiber. Therefore, the bottom in the Z13 is made exactly the same as in DellXPS 13 (or rather, on the contrary - after all, the “Z” appeared earlier): a carbon plate is mounted on a frame made of fiberglass (glass fiber reinforced polyamide, GF+PA). In addition, a graphite radiator is glued to the bottom eGRAFSpreadShieldSS400 , which removes excess heat from the cellular module and the solid-state drive.

We are already accustomed to ultrabooks in which the filling is located more compactly. Compared to them, the layout of the VAIO Z13 seems extremely wasteful. On the other hand, Sony designers managed to equip the thin laptop with a very efficient cooling system - this must be taken into account when comparing.

The 4G modem is also equipped with a Velcro thermal interface - we peeled it off during photography

It was not possible to get by with just one fan, so the Japanese used two at once. Air intake occurs directly below them, on the bottom. The exhaust is located on the left side of the laptop. Another option, provided that a quad-core processor was used, would hardly have worked.

The motherboard in the VAIO Z13 is extremely difficult to remove, so before memory modules we didn't get there. But we admired a completely non-standard solid-state drive, entirely assembled on Samsung chips.

And also how the Thunderbolt optical interface works inside the laptop. It is very dangerously designed: one careless swing with a screwdriver - and goodbye, the docking station.

4G communication module. Next to it is a connector for a full-size SIM card:

Sony devotes a lot of effort and money to promoting its products, including in Russia. As a rule, the release of really interesting gadgets or a global update model range accompanied by press conferences and other similar events. Thus, our acquaintance with the new VAIO Z began even before its appearance in the test laboratory. Those features that make it stand out among similar laptops were announced earlier this year at a specially organized meeting, where the first working samples were demonstrated.

Sony VAIO Z laptop. Ultra-powerful and ultra-compact

In outline

Among other new VAIOs, the Z was touted by industry leaders as a no-compromise mobile computer with superior image quality, high performance, and great runtime. battery life. With all these advantages, the weight of laptops does not exceed 1.45 kg, and this is taking into account the built-in optical drive. Sony does not miss the opportunity to make an impression where possible, so at the press conference, aluminum blanks were placed on a separate stand, from which cases are made, including the Z series. After we got acquainted with the blanks ourselves and turned them in our hands , there is no doubt about its “lightness”.

Sony VAIO Z: power in a compact body

The second facet of the VAIO Z “diamond”, which was shed light on by the Japanese specialist who spoke, is high performance. This model uses the new generation Intel Core i7 and i5 as a processor, and discrete chips manufactured by NVIDIA as a video adapter. Let's take a closer look here. Sony laptops were the first mobile computers with dual graphics cards. They appeared several years ago, when the adequacy of such a solution was not obvious, primarily due to the complexity of implementation. Let us remember that this was the SZ series. At that time, there were no processors with built-in video adapters; graphics processing was handled by the northbridge of the motherboard chipset.

13.1", Core i7 (2.66 GHz), 8 GB, GeForce GT 330M, 256 GB	13.3", Core 2 Duo (2.66 GHz) 8 GB, GeForce 320M, 320 GB
> 100 thousand rubles	~ 66 thousand rubles

Compared to modern platforms on Intel Core i processors, switching between a discrete chip and a video core built into the chipset is more difficult to implement in such a system. In VAIO laptops with “dual” graphics, this function was performed by a special switch on the left above the keyboard. It had two positions: STAMINA (maximum operating time) and SPEED (maximum performance). And to start working in the new mode, the laptop needed to be rebooted. Later, similar solutions from other companies began to appear, for example, NVIDIA Optimus. Today, the presence of two video cards in a laptop is already difficult to surprise, however, Sony specialists did not waste time.

Sony VAIO Z: integrated and discrete graphics switch

It uses advanced technology for using discrete and integrated graphics in one laptop, it is called Dynamic Hybrid Graphics System. It is implemented using the same switch above the keyboard, but in the current incarnation, in addition to the already familiar STAMINA and SPEED positions, the AUTO position has appeared, in which the laptop itself determines the degree of need for discrete graphics to complete the task and makes the appropriate decision.

A reboot, of course, is no longer required.

Sony VAIO Z

So, you don’t have to worry about the performance of the processor and graphics; what new awaits us in the disk subsystem? Here, perhaps, it differs most from its competitors. The most a buyer of an expensive laptop can expect is a fast solid-state drive. However, Sony went even further; they connected two or four (depending on the configuration) solid-state drives into an array. Of course, the RAID array is built in mode 0. This is the fastest type of disk array. With this switching, the data is divided into two streams and written in parallel to two disks. The reading process is similar - data comes from two media at once. The theoretical gain should reach 100% relative to one disk, but the practical one is slightly lower due to the need for additional data manipulation. However, Sony provides some interesting numbers. Compared to standard 2.5-inch 5400 rpm drives, the RAID array can read and write data 6.2 times faster.

Finally, another technical detail that is not directly related to performance is the display. Several years ago, Sony abandoned the use of IPS matrices in its laptops. Despite the significantly higher quality of such matrices compared to conventional TN ones, the departure of IPS technology from the laptop market was only a matter of time. The reasons for this are not so much the high cost of producing IPS displays, but their high level of power consumption (due to technical features) and significantly lower contrast than TN. With the transition of Sony laptops to TN matrices, it was quite logical to expect quality similar to other laptops, but even here the company managed to come out ahead. The matrices used in expensive models of the VAIO series are distinguished not only by high contrast and efficiency (thanks to the LED backlight we already know), but also by a significantly wider color gamut and correct color rendering. In particular, our Z model is capable of reproducing 96% of the Adobe RGB color space, which is very good for a laptop.

Tests

We had a pre-sale sample at our disposal, so we shouldn’t draw final conclusions about the performance of specific components. However, this will not prevent us from drawing general conclusions. So, the laptop format is 13.1 inches. The matrix resolution depends on the configuration and can reach 1920 x 1080 pixels. The ability to display 96% of Adobe RGB colors was not an empty phrase. The image produced by the screen is rich and realistic. The superiority is easy to detect, you just need to put next to any other laptop of a similar price category. The difference will be especially noticeable in shades of red and in images with long, smooth transitions. The screen surface is glare-free, viewing angles are good both vertically and horizontally.

Sony VAIO Z: body elements on the right

Our copy, unfortunately, was not the most powerful option. The processor used was Intel Core i5 with a frequency of 2.4 GHz. The discrete video adapter was an NVIDIA GeForce 330M GT chip with 1 GB of its own memory (it is also installed in production copies). In the general list of NVIDIA accelerators, this accelerator is a clear “middle-class”, but even such a video card in a 13-inch laptop is extremely rare.

Graphics Performance Tests

Source: ZOOM.CNews

Yes, not all modern games will run at maximum settings, but most games from two and three years ago will run at sufficient speed and in good quality. Now a few words about overall system performance. The tested laptop only had two solid-state drives installed. As expected, they worked in RAID 0 mode.

System Performance Tests

Source: ZOOM.CNews

The average laptop with a standard hard drive scores about 3,500 on the PCMark Vantage HDD subtest. In total, we get approximately four times superiority. Subjectively, the disk speed of the VAIO Z is very high. Almost all applications launched and worked unusually quickly (media players, Adobe Photoshop CS4, Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.03), this was especially noticeable when scanning files with an antivirus. It is unlikely that an even greater increase in disk speed will be noticeable in operation. To work with the vast majority of two-disc programs Sony systems more than enough.

After performance tests, battery life was measured using the well-known Battery Eater Pro 2.70 utility. When testing the laptop, there were no complaints about the operation of the Dynamic Hybrid Graphics System switch, however, to be on the safe side, to measure the maximum operating time, it was switched to the STAMINA (maximum efficiency) position. Accordingly, the “economical” power management scheme was chosen. During the load test (Battery Eater in Classic mode) the switch was in the AUTO position.

Battery life tests

Sony is famous for producing ultra-mobile laptops. It was in this field that she earned herself fame. But besides mobility, power is very important. No matter how much Atom or ULV/CULV processors are praised for their long-lasting capabilities, they all stumble on performance. That is why Sony has always produced, is producing and will continue to produce (I hope) laptops that have no equal in either mobility or performance - these are the Z series laptops.

When working with the VPCZ series, I want to draw a parallel with expensive cars, for example, with the BMW Z. Sony engineers and marketers are correctly adding options to the new VPCZ chassis; it has everything that VGN-Z series users have been missing for 2 years. I am sure that this model will be a success! But first things first.

Historical reference

Just as Mendeleev dreamed of the idea of ​​the periodic table of elements, so, apparently, Sony engineers dreamed of the idea of ​​​​installing 2 graphics adapters in one compact laptop. The first graphics, Intel, is used in power saving mode (Stamina mode), and the second, Nvidia, is turned on when higher performance is needed (Speed ​​mode). The idea was brought to life in 2006, when the VGN-SZ1 series was announced, on which yours truly worked for 3.5 years. The SZ series was able to switch graphics cards only when the laptop was rebooted. The VGN-Z series, born in 2008, has learned to switch adapters without rebooting in Windows Vista. And finally, the newest VPCZ series has learned to do this automatically, without unnecessary movements on the part of the user. Why no one thought of this before - only God knows.

Design

There have been no fundamental changes in the design of the model - this is good. A little change The aluminum panel that covers the keyboard, as well as the palm rest, has been exposed.

The shape of the operating mode switch and graphics cards has changed. The switch is now three-position and has an Auto option added.

A decorative strip has been added to the top of the screen, which at the same time serves as a limiter that prevents the screen from touching the main unit.

Design comparison with VGN-Z series

Specifications

You can judge the filling by looking at the palm rest in the store. “Hidden” inside Intel processor® Core™ i5. Modifications with i7 will also be available, but it will be dual-core due to the extremely high level of heat generation for such a compact body.

	VPC-Z11X9R/B
operating system	Licensed Windows ® 7 Professional (64bit)
	Black
Processor name	Intel® Core™ i5-520M with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology
L2 cache size, MB	3
Processor frequency, GHz	2.4 −2.93 GHz (Turbo Boost mode)
Volume random access memory, GB	4
RAM frequency, MHz	1066
Optical drive	DVD Super Multi (Double Layer)
Hard drive, GB	128 GB SSD (2x64 GB SSD RAID0)
Display type	VAIO Display Premium with LED backlight
Display diagonal	13,1
Display resolution	1600×900
	NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 330M GPU
Own graphics memory	GDDR3 1024 MB
	1,41
Operating time, min	About 3.5 hours (time measured by us)

The information obtained by CPU-Z is shown below.

Laptop review

The main difference from the previous Z series is the absence of a modem and an i.Link (FireWire) port, but thanks to this it was possible to place an additional 1 USB connector, which is much more important.

The following elements are located on the left side of the body:
• Power adapter input
• Kensington lock slot
• Ethernet RJ45
• HDMI connector supporting a maximum resolution of 2048×1536 pixels
• USB 2.0x2
• ExpressCard 34

On the right are the following elements:
• Optical drive
• USB 2.0×1
• Power button.
• VGA connector

The front panel of the laptop contains the following elements:
• Slots for Memory Stick Duo and SD memory cards
• Wireless adapter switch (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Wi-Max)
• Battery charging indicator
• HDD operation indicator
• 3.5mm headphone jack
• 3.5mm microphone jack
• Built-in monaural microphone

Above the keyboard are:
• Stereo speakers
• Three-position laptop mode switch. Operating modes: Stamina, Speed, Auto
• Light sensor
• Pressure indicators NumLk, Caps Lock, ScrLk
• Computer power indicator combined with power button
• Additional ASSIST, VAIO keys, as well as a window sorting button
• DVD drive open button
• Keyboard
• Touchpad

On the bottom of the laptop are located:
• RAM compartment cover
• Port Replicator Connector
• Battery connector
• SIM card slot (under battery)

The cover covering the port-replicator connector is not implemented in the most convenient way. If you take it off, you'll have to carry it with you, but it's so small that it's easy to lose. The current Z series has a different solution - the lid slides, which is more convenient.

On the display at the top there is a MOTION EYE webcam, the camera resolution is 0.3 megapixels.

Screen

The laptop has a VAIO Display Premium display with LED backlighting and a resolution of 1600x900 pixels. The screen surface is matte and absorbs reflections well. Has a very high level of contrast and brightness. Viewing angles are maximum. This is all very similar to the VGN-Z series. According to information from the company, in new series a different set of LEDs is used: there are now three of them (blue, green and red) instead of two (yellow and blue) to create a white glow. As a result, the display is capable of displaying up to 96% of the Adobe RGB palette.

In the photo below you can see that the pattern on the left (VPCZ) is visible better than on the right (VGN-Z).

Sound

Speaker volume is set to four. Nothing rattles. The stereo stage is very audible. But the high frequencies are missing. The comparison was made with a VGN-Z series laptop, which has louder speakers. This is the price to pay for weight loss. So I recommend headphones for watching movies.

Keyboard and additional buttons.

The keyboard is identical to the previous Z series, but this one has a backlight added! Hooray! This option was sorely lacking on the previous generation of Z series laptops.

Among the additional keys, we note a three-position switch for the operating mode of the laptop and graphic cards.

Quick launch keys:
• ASSIST - launches the VAIO Care program, which helps the user keep the computer in optimal condition.
• The window sorting button is a legacy of the P series; in this model the button was never needed, but in models with Full HD screen resolution it will most likely come in handy.
• VAIO - The button controls the sound, but can be programmed to do other things.
• The button to open the optical drive is hardware and works even in the BIOS.

Performance

You can see the results of synthetic tests below.
The Windows Experience Index scored 5.9.

PCMark Vantage 64bit testing results

Test name	VPCZ11X9R/B	VPCS11V9R/B	VPCF11Z1R
	7462	3310	5384
	5037	3310	3763
TV and Movies Suite	4294	3855	4046
	4961	2775	5546
	8135	4446	5367
Communications Suite	7386	5789	4006
Productivity Suite	6981	3166	4660
	15078	3199	3306

As you can see, the laptop outperforms the F series in all respects, except for games, which is logical. Separately, I would like to note the result of the disk system test. Thanks to the use of SSD drives combined into a RAID array, such a high result was achieved.

To test the gaming capabilities, the game Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was installed. The graphics settings were those recommended by the game, but the screen resolution was set to 1600x900. The laptop handled this game easily, which was nice. The laptop heats up well on the left and in the middle, where the processor and graphics chip are installed.

The heating results are shown in the figures below. Before starting the game and after 30 minutes of active play.

In addition to the Wi-Max module, the laptop has Wi-Fi, 3G and Bluetooth modules on board. Maximum possibilities when connected! Class!
The 3G module works without problems. Testing was carried out with SIM cards from Megafon and MTS. The OneClick Internet program (an application from the manufacturer of the Gobi module) determines the network settings itself, and the user just needs to click the “Connect” button. Very comfortably.

Software

In this model, Sony added licensed versions of Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.0 (Russian version) and Adobe Premiere Elements 7.0 (English version), although the 8th versions of these products are mentioned on the Sony website. This confused me a little, because it would be more logical to see these products on the F series.

Battery operation

On the Russian website of Sony, the operating time is “up to 6 hours”. To be honest, this is a little hard to believe. Included with the laptop was a VGP-BPS20/B battery (5200 mAh, 10.8 V, 57 Wh).

Oddly enough, in this laptop model the fasteners are designed in such a way that the battery has a little play. In the old VGN-Z series, this disease also existed. However, I want to note that Sony makes such a gap on purpose so that if the battery heats up during the charging process, it does not damage the case.

The Battery Eater Pro 2.7 program showed a runtime of 2 hours 10 minutes, the laptop was tested in Classic mode.

When viewing a movie in high definition format (file size 4.4 GB, resolution 1280x720p, MKV format) - 3 hours 20 minutes.

In the mode of working with office applications, with a light load, the laptop can work for about 4.5 hours.

The laptop was tested in the following configuration:
• All wireless adapters are turned off
• Energy saving mode, Stamina laptop mode
• Sound turned off (except for movie watching test, MDR-G73 headphones were used, volume 80%)
• The brightness level is set to 80%.

Conclusion

I don’t know how correct it is to compare the new model with the previous series. On my own behalf, I would like to note that this is not a completely new model; I would say that Sony did a deep “face lift” of the previous VGN-Z series. They installed a more powerful “engine” inside in the form of processors and graphics. We replaced the “running” of the video with SSD drives combined into a RAID array, which immediately increased the speed of the system. Added new options: keyboard backlight, automatic transmission... Oh! Automatic switching of graphics and operating modes. We reduced the weight of the laptop and expanded the connectivity options by adding Wi-Max. We improved the color rendering of the display and increased the display resolution to 1920×1080. They added a third USB connector, which was so missing during the two years of using the previous series.

As for real competitors, in my opinion, the Z series did not have them and will not appear in the near future, because this model embodies the whole spirit of Made in Japan. Just think, with a weight of 1.41 kg, having such a range of technologies and power on board! This is what all laptops in the future should be like.

The recommended retail price for this model is 79,990 rubles. Is it a lot or a little? I think it's just right. Of course, there will be people who will say: “If only a “zette” would cost 30 thousand! Then I would buy it." But understand, such a laptop simply cannot cost that cheap.

Should you immediately replace your good old VGN-Z with a “tightened up” VPCZ? I think so.

Strengths:
• High performance
• Light weight
• Powerful graphics
• Keyboard backlight
• High quality display
• Stylish design
• Unlocked Wi-Max module
• 3G module

Weak sides:
• Average battery life
• Slight battery play

Specifications and prices can be viewed at the links below:
VPCZ11X9R/B - junior model (as in the review), black.
VPCZ11X9R/S - junior model (as in the review), silver color.
VPCZ11V9R/B - medium model ( more powerful processor), black color.
VPCZ11Z9R/B - older model (more powerful processor and higher screen resolution), black color.

CPU: Intel Core i5 6267U, Intel Core i7 6567U
Graphic arts: Intel Iris Graphics 550
Display: 12.3 inches, 13.3 inches
Weight: 1.2Kg, 1.343Kg, 1.5Kg
Price: 1500, 1800 Euro

Average rating: 76% - Good
Average of 13 ratings (from 15 reviews)

: - %, Performance: 77%, Equipment: 44%, Screen quality: 82%
Portability: 81%, Appearance: 78%, Ergonomics: 84%, Heat and noise: 85%

Specifications

Laptop:
CPU: Intel Core i7 6567U
Graphic arts: Intel Iris Graphics 550
Display: 12.3 inches, 3:2, 2560 x 1704 pixels
Weight: 1.5Kg
Price: 1800 Euro
Links: Sony - manufacturer's website
Sony (manufacturer's website)
Vaio Z Canvas ((device page))

Pricecompare

Average rating: 80% - Good
Average of 3 ratings (from 4 reviews)

Review: Vaio Z Canvas
Source: Unlocked Newegg EN→RU
Vaio set out to create the ultimate creative platform in the Canvas, and for the most part they succeeded. It’s not as powerful as a dedicated laptop, but the stylus and tablet functionality, coupled with the excellent screen and a wireless keyboard, make it a contender for one of the most unique and desirable 2-in-1s on the market.
classic review, available online, very detailed, Date: 01/30/2017

80% VAIO Z Canvas Review
Source: Notebookreview.com EN→RU
Whether or not VAIO finds success with the Z Canvas will depend greatly on their ability to find a target audience so committed to staying within the Windows environment that they’re willing to dig deep into their pockets. Without that, or without VAIO finding some way to lower prices, it’s likely the appeal of owning one of the most powerful Windows tablet s on the market will be overshadowed by the desire to leave at least a little in the bank.
classic review, available online, moderately detailed, Date: 01/15/2016
Rating: Total score: 80%

70% Review: Vaio Z Canvas
Source: Wired Magazine EN→RU
The Canvas is a Windows tablet unlike any we’ve seen before. Wedged into this 12.3-inch, 2.6-pound chassis are a Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of solid state storage-specs in line with the highest high-end laptops. The included keyboard is detachable (it charges via two small contacts on the tablet and the keyboard), adds an extra 12.8 ounces, and doubles as a magnetically-affixed cover. The fun doesn't stop there, though. Just check out these ports: two full-size USB 3.0 ports, a mini DisplayPort, HDMI, and a full-size (fold-out) Ethernet jack. Ethernet! On a tablet! If you can’t smell the legacy of Sony overambition all over this thing, it’s official name-the Vaio Z Canvas VJZ12AX0211S-surely seals the deal.
classic review, available online, brief, Date: 11/23/2015
Rating: Total score: 70%

90% Vaio Z Canvas
Source: Mobile Tech Review EN→RU
The Vaio Z Canvas is an amazing piece of technology--it"s a dream PC or tablet in a world where most products make compromises due to pricing constraints or lack of engineering prowess. It"s uncompromisingly fast--twice as fast as the Surface Book/ Surface Pro 4 and around the same performance as a 15" Retina MacBook Pro. Unlike most tablets, it has plenty of ports; in fact, more than many Ultrabooks offer.
classic review, available online, very detailed, Date: 10/14/2015
Rating: Total score: 90%

Specifications

Laptop:
CPU: Intel Core i7 6567U
Graphic arts: Intel Iris Graphics 550
Display: 13.3 inches, 16:9, 2560 x 1440 pixels
Weight: 1.343Kg
Price: 1800 Euro
Links: Sony - manufacturer's website
Sony (manufacturer's website)
Vaio Z Flip ((device page))

Pricecompare

Average rating: 74.86% - Not bad
Average of 7 ratings (from 9 reviews)

84% | Notebookcheck
Dear, dear. The Vaio brand returns to the laptop market, carefully preserving the style and traditions of Sony. Speaking of them: what is this Z Flip made of that it costs as much as two MacBooks? Aluminum, carbon fiber and... stone?

Vaio Z Flip: Great Laptop, Great design but a bit too expensive
Source: G Style Magazine EN→RU
The Vaio Z is a super portable, clean, impeccably designed, powerful laptop/tablet hybrid. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with the Vaio Z. It’s one of the best laptops I’ve used. I personally always appreciated the Vaio brand, now even more so that they’re their own company. Bottom line however, the Vaio Z is a bit too expensive. This is my biggest problem.
classic review, available online, very detailed, Date: 04/25/2017

Review: VAIO Z 2-in-1 Flip
Source: Unlocked Newegg EN→RU
If you’re looking for high-end content creation or video editing, this is not the 2-in-1 for you. But if looks are your thing, and you want a durable Windows 10 laptop that can double as a tablet, the VAIO Z Flip is at the head of the game.
classic review, available online, thorough, Date: 03/02/2017

84% Vaio Z Flip (2016) Laptop Review
Source: Reviewed.com EN→RU
Quite honestly, there's something charming about goods made in Japan. Maybe it's because I'm a huge camera fan (some of the highest-grade camera equipment continues to be assembled in Japan), but knowing that the expert craftspeople of Azumino put the Vaio Z Flip together makes it feel like a singular laptop. It"s not cheap, but it"s fast, elegant, and well-equipped.
classic review, available online, very detailed, Date: 07/10/2016
Rating: Total score: 84%

70% VAIO Z Flip
Source: PC Mag EN→RU
If you"re a graphics professional, the VAIO Z Flip delivers class-leading performance, a long-lasting battery pack, and a convertible screen mechanism that helps you interact with your art up close and personal, in a tactile manner. But at almost $2,000, it just costs too much for most general users, even well-heeled ones. At $500 less, the Lenovo Yoga holds remains our Editors" Choice for high-end convertible-hybrid laptops because it has a higher-resolution screen, the same amount of system memory and storage, comparable multimedia benchmark numbers, and only slightly less battery life (almost 11 hours).
classic review, available online, brief, Date: 06/30/2016
Rating: Total score: 70%

80% VAIO Z Flip Model Review: Gets the Right Parts Right
Source: Notebookreview.com EN→RU
The VAIO Z flip model gets most things right. It has a great build, stunning display, and decent battery life. Its pen is also a pleasure to use, and it pulls off the hinged display design well, which sets it apart in a market awash in detachables and Yoga clones. These are all more important features than any of its drawbacks.
classic review, available online, medium in length, Date: 04/29/2016
Rating: Total score: 80%

80% VAIO Z Flip
Source: Computer Shopper EN→RU
The VAIO Z Flip is a strong offering in the premium convertible-notebook market. It has impeccable quality throughout. We liked its unique display-flipping mechanism, which covers the keyboard in tablet mode. This eliminates the complaint we have about conventional 360-degree folding convertibles, which leave their keyboards exposed in tablet mode.
classic review, available online, very detailed, Date: 04/25/2016
Rating: Total score: 80%

70% Vaio Z Flip

The executive class model with a wide range of capabilities is suitable not only for solving resource-intensive tasks, but will also allow you to cope with most undemanding games. With such a laptop you will certainly enjoy listening to music, because... The sound level and excellent acoustic effects will leave the most pleasant impressions.

Design

A small and seemingly ordinary laptop, the Sony VAIO VPC-Z13Z9R, with dimensions of 314x210x23.8 mm and a weight of less than one and a half kilograms, is actually quite durable, because not only aluminum, but also carbon fiber is used in its manufacture. The use of such materials can significantly increase the strength of the entire structure.

The interior of the laptop in the area of ​​the wrist rest and keyboard consists of a solid metal plate, thanks to which the internal components of the system will be reliably protected.

Display and sound

The 13.1-inch LED-backlit display with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels will give you many unforgettable minutes spent in front of the screen, both while working and watching videos in a small company. The liquid crystal display will provide excellent color reproduction, excellent contrast levels and reliable protection from scratches and other minor damage.

The acoustic system consists of two built-in stereo speakers. With Dolby Home Theater v3 technology, you can achieve life-like surround sound and a cinematic experience with exceptional sound effects.
The display frame is decorated with a 0.3 megapixel webcam, designed for organizing video conferencing and communicating via Skype. It's no problem for the MOTION EYE camera to shoot a video or take a photo with a resolution of 640x480 pixels.

Keyboard and touchpad

Traditionally in Sony models VAIO has a chiclet keyboard installed. This model is no exception and assumes the presence of separate keys with clear markings. On black keys, white symbols look great, and most importantly, they are quite comfortable for typing. The convenience of the keyboard also lies in the fact that in conditions of incomplete lighting you can turn on the backlight of the buttons.

Above the laptop keyboard there is an ASSIST button, thanks to which you can diagnose problems with the laptop. Therefore, using this key, the owner will be able to monitor the performance of the system. There is also a special key that switches hybrid graphics and a VAIO button.

Just below the spacebar is a sensitive touchpad. Using the touch pad you can perform vertical scrolling. The touchpad does not support multi-touch technology.

The keys are located immediately below the touch zone. They are located at the very edge of the wrist rest. This arrangement is not entirely convenient for constant use, but over time you can get used to it. The main thing is that the keys are pressed clearly and not too loudly.

Processor and equipment

When buying a laptop, the owner will be glad to have a pre-installed 64-bit operating system Windows 7 Professional. Such a system is aimed at business users and will allow you to perform complex tasks.

The Sony VAIO VPC-Z13Z9R/XQ laptop is based on a powerful dual-core Intel Core i7-640M processor with a clock frequency of 2.8 GHz and 4 MB of L3 cache. The productive mobile processor supports not only Hyper-Threading multi-threading technology, but also Turbo Boost, which, accordingly, can accelerate to a frequency of up to 3.46 GHz.

The laptop has 6 GB of RAM, and this amount can be expanded up to 8 GB of DDR3 standard, thereby ensuring good performance in games and various applications.

Instead of a traditional hard drive, the model is equipped with a very fast Quad SSD Flash drive with 256 GB. The Quad disk subsystem with four SSD modules facilitates data recording in parallel mode, and the speed will be 6 times faster than a traditional hard drive with a rotation speed of 5400 rpm. Accordingly, such a solid-state drive will be simply irreplaceable for fast work.

The graphics system of the Sony VAIO VPC-Z13Z9R laptop is represented by two video cards - integrated Intel HD and discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M. Using 1 GB of its own memory, the mid-level discrete video core can additionally use up to 3670 MB of total memory in high-speed mode. Thus, with support for DirectX 10.1, you can achieve good detail in undemanding games. Other advantages of the graphics card include the ability to decode video and support for an external monitor with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels.

Optical drive, ports, card reader

The set of ports on the VAIO VPC-Z13Z9R laptop is quite modest, but contains all the necessary interfaces. Looking at the right side, you can only see a USB 2.0 interface, an analog VGA video output through which you can connect a monitor, and a built-in DVD SuperMulti optical drive with Blu-ray playback capability.

The left side of the laptop is filled not only with a digital HDMI port and two USB interfaces, but also with an RJ-45 network card connector. There is also an Express Card/34 format slot on the left.

In addition to the 802.11a/b/g wireless Wi-Fi module and the Bluetooth adapter version 2.1+EDR, you can take advantage of the opportunity to receive information from the Internet using Everywair 3G technology (WWAN or WiMAX).

Battery

The VAIO VPC-Z13Z9R laptop operates autonomously using the VGP-BPS20/B battery. This 6-cell 5400mAh Li-ion battery can last up to a maximum of 5 hours on a single charge. In “Graphics” mode the laptop will work for about 4.5 hours. When completely discharged, the battery can be recharged in 3.5 hours.

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Conclusion

The VAIO VPC-Z13Z9R is an excellent laptop designed not only for everyday tasks, but also for more complex applications. The advantages of this model include not only an extremely comfortable keyboard with separate keys and a sensitive touchpad, but also an excellent display with the ability to display a real contrast image. No less good is a discrete video card and a powerful processor, as well as the amount of RAM, which can provide an optimal level of performance and fairly high performance. By the way, the user will appreciate the unsurpassed sound speaker system, allowing you to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a home theater and enjoy incredibly high-quality surround sound, as well as ample opportunities wireless connection. I would also like to draw your attention to the reliable, durable case of the laptop, thanks to which you can safely transport the laptop and not worry about minor damage.

The only thing I would like to see is a higher resolution webcam and a more diverse set of ports.