Share your experience!
I'm just curious how many here are really happy with your Sony Vaio Notebook...?
Wil your next laptop also be a Vaio?
I am NOT happy with my expensive Vaio and will never buy one again.
I've got a VGN-A317M and I'm very happy with it, mostly because of the excellent screen that still beats most other brands and it's so quiet !
Drawbacks :
- crappy customer support,
- expensive goods / extensions (I bought a brand new docking station off eBay US for a third of the french price ...),
- Vaio Update only has a couple of updates per year so far (mostly for the useless bundled softwares, not for the hardware ...).
- I'm lucky since my DW-D56A (DVD combo drive) didn't died (yet), and this seems to be the plague of the VGN series.
My next laptop will be a Vaio or a Toshiba if they do something about their screens and their design. Sony is still my fav although I learned a lot about their weaknesses with this purchase.
I had a GRT796HP and now an AR21S, I bought some FR295 for others and a SZ3XP and I am satisfied. I never had any problem except with the battery life... but I knew it when I bought the machines (don't expect to watch a DVD in the train with an AR21S). I think that with Sony, you must carefully choose the model that suits your needs, open the box, install your programs and then don't touch anything ! Don't try to change the OS, don't try to change the drivers (except if the updates are provided by Sony), just use the machine as it is.
Interesting - I think I have to bump it
Btw, it really sux we from Sweden have to call the english support (swedish phone number but english speaking)!
Hehe its still better to have english support than no support at all Yonaz
Very unhappy with my Vaio, will never touch one again. Vaios cost more than many other brands, I foolishly assumed you actually got something extra for this money. WRONG, you get less.
1. you don't get XP installation media, you are forced to make a backup of the HDD, which includes all the crud that Sony have included, not for YOUR benefit, for THEIR benefit, in licencing money.
2. You cannot uninstall any of this crud, as the installs are delibratly broken (Norton GoSlow for example).
3. Sony UK support is horrendous, they don't bother looking at open tickets, until the warrenty is up, then simply close the ticket. I had a driver issue, Sony never addressed it, and simply closed the ticket when the warrenty was up.
Total shambles, I don't recommend anyonw touch Vaio, it's a shame the hardware is good, everything else Vaio sucks badly thou.
I love my Vaios, I own 2 vaios: GRT815M and SZ3XP, both are pretty cool and haven't got any problem. I had no broblem with Sony's service at all, actually I had good experience with the servie.
I had got an Vaio FX702 4 years ago and it was cracked after 6 months. I called the service support for repairing it and impressive that just after 2 days they'd come and picked it up and about 5-6 days later I received my vaio.
Will I purchase Vaio again, yes and I did it with my SZ3XP, a new stuff for new year :smileygrin:
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this is my 1st laptop Sony Fe31m -
I just love the screens on these sonys now i own one - almost eveyone comes up to me at work & says WOW
Auto updates from sony - just think this is an amazing add on - easy to use & an idiots guide just for Noobs..
I think some of the s/w needs to be looked at .. there seems to be too many programs on there - i just think they ought to put it all on a disc & let the customer choose - I have had to take off Norton as it slowed the laptop by at least 50% & just i dont see the point in sonic stage - what a major disapointment - all i want is a media player like vlc easy to use & one buttion if i want bass.. how easy is that...
dont know if any one has seen the Tosh Satalite but i love the way it homes in on the Wireless networks - Just hope sony can put somet like that into these Vaios..
Finally my laptop is in repair as i think the sound seems low & tinny on max Vols - if they get that fixed then im overall happy..
I purchased my Vaio sz1xp on last May and I have problems with the space-bar. You must push only on the center, because if you push either to right side or left side, the button cannot do the space on your text! I've read in the Forum that many owners have this problem and the Sony support has not solved the questions about.
I love my vaio!
First of all let me state I dislike the rise of the large corporations and that I have no loyalty to any manufacturer. They are mostly all as good/bad as each other.
With this said I've had my Sony Vaio (FX101) for years - yes I know it's ancient, however the only hardware probs I've had have fallen roughly into two categories:
1/ Wear and tear: I've had to replace the CD & Hard Drives - though only in the last six months or so.
2/ Build Quality: The USB connectors round the back have all but lost their ability to make a connection. Once my usb hub extension is connected it's best not to move the laptop too much. They've been that way for a good couple of years I'd say. Also the crack in the screen hinge has finally given way after living quite happilly being 'just a crack' for also a couple of years perhaps.
So overall I'm quite happy. Replacing the drive and cd was straight forward. I've done away with all but the most essential software originally installed. I'm running it with XP Pro (minimal install - my choice even on a new machine) and it's maximum RAM allowance of 512MB. Hopefully sorting out the screen/hinge/casement won't be too much hassle and the usb sockets should be easy enough to come by - though I may get a friend to help with what will doubtless require soldering because I'm not much cop at that. Everything else runs perfectly. Considering that the processor is not up to today's speed demons I don't have too many probs. Internet is fine (1MB ADSL), and I also use Cubase SX2 for composing music. In fact considering how much it gets used and how hard I drive it I'm surprised I've managed this long.
Would I buy another? Despite all that I've said in favour of this model I've seen - virtually - nothing but bad stories concerning overall build quality and service. And the poor warranties, when compared with many other manufacturers, suggest to me that Sony themselves don't have much faith in their own product.
In conclusion then, I am still 'considering' another possible Vaio. Yes they're overpriced but you're paying for all the advertising that goes with any global brand and you'll get better value else where but considering how long this model has kept me going and the fact that a couple of their minidisc products have given me no problems I think perhaps I shall do another spot of research on current models at some point this year to see how things fare then.
Hope I haven't nattered on too much but ther are a lot of variables to consider. So a 'hopefull maybe' then