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Sony Vaio Pro 13 8GB RAM/128GB SSD for USD $899 + Shipping @ B&H

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Price dropped to $899 again, posting since it gain much interest last time.

Not sure end date since price fluctuates a bit @ B&H.

Personally Im holding out for Lenovo Y50 capable of 4k gaming.

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  • +11

    Personally Im holding out for Lenovo Y50 capable of 4k gaming.

    No serious gamers game on a laptop :p

    On a side note: GUYS, stop ordering additional accessories when you're ordering an item close to $1000 AUD threshold!

    If the TOTAL ITEMS VALUE> $1000AUD converted, then you pay GST(10%), Customs processing fee (5% or something) on the total value of items AND shipping.

    • My serious gaming is mostly on consoles, as long as the computer allows me to play Diablo 3 at high in a small package Im more than happy.

      • can you play d3 on this one?

        • depends on what settings ur talking about, on high i don't think so.

          Thats why im holding out on this one

    • +3

      Block-quote No serious gamers game on a laptop :p

      True Story

      Just comparing laptops to desktops though, not meaning to dis the console gamer

    • serious gamers dont have a preference, they kick ass on ALL platforms and gfx cards… i've personally seen a seriously kick ass gamer playing one of the CODs on ps3 on an old 47inch rear pro connected by composite! when ur that good, it's irrelevant

      • serious gamers dont have a preference, they kick ass on ALL platforms and gfx cards… i've personally seen a seriously kick ass gamer playing one of the CODs on ps3 on an old 47inch rear pro connected by composite! when ur that good, it's irrelevant

        Keyboard + mouse vs console controls is very different.

        I mean laptop vs desktop.. for 4K gaming haha.

  • +1

    Be aware this would have a US charger

    • +9

      All you need is to buy the cord in AU plug.
      The powerpack itself handles 110-240v.
      It cost me $6 from ebay.

      • Did you not hear the story about the women who died from Cheap electronics?

        How could you possible buy cheap electronics now knowing that you have a 0.000000000000000001% chance of being electrocuted?

        Better play it safe. Go Amish.

  • If u after the black color one you can follow this to avoid paying GST:
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/150496
    Mine arrived yesterday.

    • this 4gb model costs more @usd 999 than 8gb silver now

  • wonder why the 11" was discontinued

  • +1

    Grabbed the Sony Vaio Pro 13 Black in last sale. Got delivered in 5 working days. I just grabbed the clover cable off an old laptop charger. Great laptop, Full HD screen, super light weight (including power pack), touchscreen, backlit keyboard, 6-7 hours of battery use on 50% screen brightness (browsing/video/word processing). I can use the USB on the powerpack to charge my phone, which frees up the other USB and powerpoints. No issues with wifi or anything. I'd definitely recommend this, since it costs $1500 at Harvey Norman (and that one only has 4gb).

  • For a moment I thought the title said 'Used'.

  • Damn it, every time this gets posted the harder it is to resist. Can anyone tell me if the flex on the keyboard deck is as bad I've been lead to believe? I want to think this is a better buy (for me, of course) over a Macbook, but I don't know…

    • +1

      Resting on solid surface not an issue. On your lap the flex can be an issue if you like to "click" the touchpad (ie. press hard and hear an audible click). You can however lightly tap touchpad to have same function. Or just place thumb under touchpad if you cannot get your head around using a light tap.

      Enjoying mine.

      UEFI bios. Legacy boot settings available in bios setup, so if you need to boot from USB with MBR, this option is available.

  • +1

    I got the base macbook air 13 (2013), from the ebay/kogan deal. Is it worth selling to get this instead?

    • +4

      depends whether you like windows more or osx

      i prefer windows, with added FHD touchscreen and 8gb ram

      the mac definitely smoother with scrolling on touchpad though

      • Did some research, compared to MBA
        Cons:
        creaky build quality
        half the battery life
        Wifi issues
        Sharp corners
        Scaling issues with win8
        noisy fan
        Touchpad issues
        Pros:
        Much better screen
        Lighter

        MBA
        Pros:
        battery life
        build quality
        easier warranty
        parallel to access windows apps easily
        good trackpad and keyboard

        Cons:
        screen
        less ram
        OSX - no idea how to use

        I'll probably stick with the MBA, connect to my 1080p monitor when not travelling

        • +2

          Have both the MBA 13" 2013 and Sony Vaio Pro 13. Buy MBA if you want OSX, Sony if you want windows.

          • Running windows on MBA makes the trackpad quality and battery life almost the same as the Sony.
          • The Sony's carbon fibre is intended to be flexible, also makes it light, and not as cold to touch. I wouldn't say its creaky.
          • No wifi issues if you update.
          • Fan isn't noisy 95% of time (first boot up requires major updates which turns fan to max for an hour)
          • Full HD scaling does make some text less clear, but you can always bring screen res down, not an issue
          • Front corners are sharp, but i don't find my palms are in any danger
        • @venu:
          Apparently the wifi issues are both software and hardware.
          Dropouts were fixed by software, range is hardware fault.
          Sony warranty were giving out wifi dongles for this reason.
          Warranty is also dubious since:
          -sony have sold of their vaio division
          -international stock, ACL doesn't apply also, sony service centre is in VIC
          -likelihood of problems is higher with this laptop (wifi, fan, trackpad)

          I really want like this laptop, but it will likely give me too many headaches.
          I'm comfortable using ubuntu so hopefully OSX won't be too much trouble.
          The only real issue with the MBA will be the screen, but i'll survive i think.
          The sony is probably the best laptop for the money but you can't guarantee it'll be defect-free, and that for me kills the deal..

        • @2real4u:

          Dropouts were fixed by software, range is hardware fault.

          The range only matters if you're right at the fringe of wifi coverage. I compared it with my ThinkPad Tablet Yoga (same wifi card). The ThinkPad did hold on to a weak signal better, but it was pretty poor for both devices.

          Sony warranty were giving out wifi dongles for this reason.
          Where?

          Warranty is also dubious since:
          -sony have sold of their vaio division

          Sony has said warranties will be honoured, as you would expect.

          -international stock, ACL doesn't apply also, sony service centre is in VIC
          It comes with international warranty.

          -likelihood of problems is higher with this laptop (wifi, fan, trackpad)

          I think that's questionable. If it works fine at the start, it'll most likely work fine later on.

          The sony is probably the best laptop for the money but you can't guarantee it'll be defect-free, and that for me kills the deal..

          You could exercise the international warranty if anything goes wrong.

        • @venu:

          •Full HD scaling does make some text less clear, but you can always bring screen res down, not an issue

          You can disable scaling on apps that don't work well with it. Just right-click on the application's shortcut, go to Properties, Compatibility, and select Disable Display Scaling on High DPI Settings.

          http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2900023

  • looks neat. any reviews on this product?

    • great product, but the mouse doesn't work too well when you are on a uneven surface due to slight flexing.

  • seems no local store sell it? i just want to confirm this price is a bargain.
    insane.
    i cant see any sony laptop on HN and dicksm binglee websites

    • +1

      Yeah, Harvey Norman and JB def. had Sony laptops a few months ago.

      I think they've been pulled as part of the transition to the new 'Vaio' branding.

  • +5

    Have one of these. Main complaints:

    1. Somewhat 'flexible' construction. Even resting palms on the unit can stuff the touchpad up annoyingly
    2. Wish I could lock the FN key down so I can quickly adjust brightness and volume etc.
    3. Bought silver. Oh the scratches…. Go black and you never go back!
    4. The sharp corners are capable of impaling adults/children/animals. Why didn't they round them somewhat??

    Otherwise, the near 1GB/sec SSD makes it boot soooo quick, expandable battery, weight/size and touch screen are really good positives!

    • Somewhat 'flexible' construction. Even resting palms on the unit can stuff the touchpad up annoyingly

      That's carbon fibre for you..

    • +1

      I'd add:
      5. Glossy screen. Reflections are annoying, no matter if you are in the shade or in the sunlight.

      Overall, a nice machine, just don't impale yourself on it.

        1. Glossy screen. Reflections are annoying, no matter if you are in the shade or in the sunlight.

        I don't think there are any touchscreens that are matte…

        • +3

          It's definitely the minority nowadays, but the ThinkPad Yoga has a matte touchscreen.
          The ThinkPad X200t/201t/220t/230t also have matte touchscreens (with Wacom digitizers).

        • @eug: Ah yes, my friend has a thinkpad that was matte.. image quality looks better on a glossy screen though (most of the time).

          You only rarely find matte screens unless it's for business-focused laptops.
          Then again, most of them don't have 1080p displays because office applications don't demand it.

        • @cwongtech:
          Yeah, glossy screens do look blacker and more vibrant, but a lot more reflective. I had a laptop with a matte screen before the Pro 11. Took me a while to get used to the glossiness but I got used to it.

          The Dell XPS12's glossy touchscreen has a much nicer coating than the Vaio though. It's more slippery and fingerprint-friendly. Dunno why Sony didn't do a better job with that.

  • Shipping: $66

  • -4

    Total including shipping goes over AU$1000 and that is enough for customs to make us pay the 10% GST + 5% processing charges.

    • +2

      If the comments on the previous deals for this laptop are anything to go by, the shipping doesn't count towards the GST threshold.

      • +1

        the shipping is defnitely not counted towards the gst threshold, as long as, in this case, the laptop is less than au$1000

    • Yes GST only against the unit price.
      I received mine no issue with the customs as I paid a total $1067 AUD from my credit card.

      • last time, there was a guy, teri was the name, giving out wrong information. this time, this ddaus.

        • I am not wrong and neither I have intention to misguide beloved community of Ozbargain.

        • @ddaus:

          You may be misguidedly misguiding the community. :)

    • I can confirm I checked this out and it is unit price only, shipping is not included.

      The currency conversion is done based on the conversion rate the day it goes through customs, not the actual purchase date (which I reckon it should be). So, fingers crossed the aussie dollar doesn't have an unexpected fall within the next 7 days.

    • Shipping is counted in the total, just checked with the Australian Customs.
      Please read "How much is GST and how is it calculated?" section on http://www.customs.gov.au/faq/DutyGST.asp
      for further clarification.

      • +2

        That is easy to misinterpret. It has been discussed quite a number of times. Many people have posted saying shipping is not included in the AU$1,000 threshold calculation based on their personal experience importing goods.

        Have you ever mailed a package overseas? What do you write as the "value" figure on the export declaration? The cost of the item, or the cost of the item plus shipping? The value of an item doesn't go up because it's being shipped, so you don't include the cost of shipping.

        The page you linked says:

        Low value consignments up to AU$1,000 are imported free of Customs duty and taxes.

        A consignment doesn't "come with shipping" - the consignment is the thing that gets shipped.

        So - if the consignment (i.e. the goods) is valued at over AU$1,000, then GST is charged on the whole amount, i.e. the cost of the goods, the duty, and the shipping.

        If the consignment is valued at below AU$1,000, then no GST is applied.

        A customs broker on WP: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2077766&#…

        Confirmed by another customs broker: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2077766#r…

        Real-life examples:
        https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/151434#comment-2094736
        http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2077766#r…
        and various others everywhere.

  • Will I get ripped off using paypal or should I just use visa debit?

    And what sort of plug will I need to buy for power point? Someone hook me up with a link if possible, cheers!

  • Fantastic machine, typing this on one of them!

  • Why would you want 4K on a tiny 13" laptop screen!?

    Do you even know what 4K really is ? It is obvious you haven't even gone anywhere near the limits of 1080p.

    Or do you just want to impress uninformed friends you got "4K"?

    • 4k on a 13" screen is only 338ppi. Laptop screens aren't as far away from your eyes as a desktop screen.

      A study has shown that people can discriminate between 339 and 508ppi (and even 508 and 1016ppi) screens from 30cm. A laptop screen would be about 50cm away, so I'm quite certain some people can tell the difference between full HD (169ppi) and 4k (338ppi).

      I'm all for more pixels, as long as performance, UI, and battery life doesn't suffer much.

      http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jsid.186/abstract

      • -3

        Brother, 13" anything can not be taken seriously.

        I understand not everyone has the same budgets, but it is like bringing a Kia Rio to a car enthusiast show. People are going to be laughing like drains at you.

        Suggestion: buy yourself desktop, a 1440p 120Hz monitor and SLI/crossfire a couple of cards. Don't worry about onlinelibrary. wiley. com for now. Thank me later. You're welcome.

        • ?

        • I bet your missus would take 13" seriously!

    • -1

      To Son ofa Zombie, the Lenovo Y50 has a 15" screen. If your going to have an opposing argument it's always good to get your facts straight.

  • This is precisely what I am looking for. Thank you.

  • Would've jumped if they had a deal on the i7 model

  • +1

    I'm very tempted..what is the story with warranty ?

    • +1

      I confirmed they have local warranty in AUS.
      Bought a black version on 27/6.
      Ring Sony Aus (1300 13 7669) on 3/7, they will simply request you to send thru your invoice and they can put you into their system.
      I got mine register in that way.

  • I'm also looking at the Y50-sucks the standard model has a TN screen with only 57% sRGB gamet coverage.
    UHD/4K version can be ordered for $1229 usd.

    The entry Y50 has an i5 4200M. It is just coincidence they are named similarly? How would just the processor compare to this Sony?

  • Ended up not buying from last deal, but reconsidering this one. what is the deal with warranty? These are SONY Vaios, and haven't Sony seperated from the Vaio brand? And in case of faulty/damage, where would we have to send the product to get it repaired or inspected - any fees associated? - Unfortunately I'm in exam period at the moment, so don't have much time to read through the warranty information - has anyone else? I'd like to know.

    • In regards to warranty, please refer to my reply above.

  • Are these still made in Japan?

    I'm thinking of upgrading my i5 gen MIJ Z series to something that runs win 8 and has more storage, but if it's not MIJ, I might just wait and get the SP3.

  • +1

    No dedicated page up/down keys on the keyboard. Not sure how I would go with one of these…

    • It's different for everyone of course, but I got used to it pretty quick. I'm a very keyboard-heavy person too.

      • eug, you seem to have some knowledge with ultrabooks. Have you done any comparison with the Sony Vaio Pro i5 vs i7? Is the extra couple of hundred $$$ worth it to get the i7 plus probably 256Gb ram? Also have you compared the Sony against the likes of the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus? I'm contemplating the Sammy for the potentially better screen (& keyboard) but sacrificing the faster SSD and probably a couple of hundred bucks. Thanks

        • +3

          Have you done any comparison with the Sony Vaio Pro i5 vs i7? Is the extra couple of hundred $$$ worth it to get the i7 plus probably 256Gb ram?

          That really depends on what you will use the laptop for. My current laptop is a ThinkPad Yoga which uses the same i7 processor as the i7 Vaio Pro 11/13. I can see a difference in processor-intensive programs like Lightroom, but don't see much difference with less intense programs like Chrome/IE and MS Office.

          As I use less-cpu-intensive apps more frequently than cpu-intensive apps and multitask a lot, the thing that made the biggest difference for me is the 8GB of RAM and the faster SSD on the ThinkPad. It's doable on 4GB with a fast SSD, but of course more is always better.

          128 or 256GB hard drive space, that really depends on you and what you need to store. I keep all my large files at home so was fine with 128GB until I had to run a VM on my laptop. Now I'm looking to upgrade to 256GB some time in the near future.

          Also have you compared the Sony against the likes of the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus?

          Before the Vaio Pro I had the Samsung Series 9 (2012) 13.3" which is the predecessor to the ATIV Book 9 Plus range. The very first thing that drew me to it was the fantastic screen. It was matte, very bright, and had excellent color and viewing angles. I had a closer look and was quite impressed that they managed to make it so light (1.13kg), yet so solid.

          I was pretty happy with it after I replaced the shockingly slow SSD that it came with (Sandisk U100 - I think they've stopped using it). I found the keyboard too large to type quickly on, but that's of course personal preference. Everything else was great, and lots of people asked about it as it looked so good. 3 of my friends ended up getting one each, and a 4th bought mine when I decided to sell it.

          The ATIV Book 9 Plus looks pretty much the same, but the weight and thickness went up thanks to the glossy touchscreen. I love high-res screens, but am quite satisfied with full HD for the moment. Running a QHD screen would probably reduce battery life and performance a bit. I think the 2014 model has dropped back down to FHD.

          Basically I think you have to decide what's more important for you. It's quite difficult to properly recommend a device without knowing exactly how you will use it and what you find important.

          If "feel" is important, I'd look at the Samsung. It's really well-built.

          If you multitask a lot, I'd pick the Sony as it comes with 8GB RAM and has a fast SSD. Unless you can get the new Book 9 with 8GB RAM.

          If you will mostly use it for general tasks that don't require a lot of CPU, an i5/4GB device would probably be fine. You could spoil yourself with the Samsung's looks and feel, build quality, and QHD screen.

          i5 vs i7 … depends on how much heavy stuff you will do.

          If I had to decide between the Pro 13 and 2014 Samsung ATIV and price was of no concern, I'd probably go the Samsung if I can get an 8GB RAM model.

          If I had to decide between a Pro 11 with 8GB RAM and the Samsung, I'd probably go the Pro 11 even though the SSD is a bit slower, as the thing is so damn light!

      • Thanks for the reply. Yeah looking at the number of people that have MacBook pros these days (no pgup/down) it seems many people have learned to live with it :-) I think my next laptop will be a 15" though - I am spending too much time looking at a tiny 13" screen in the uni library :-)

        • Ahh, they might not be keyboard-people. :)

          I think what made me get used to it more quickly was the ability to just scroll on the touchscreen. It feels more intuitive than page up/down or two-finger scrolling.

          I had a laptop with no touchscreen that required Fn for page up/down. I think I ended up just holding down the up/down keys more often instead.

          What I haven't been able to get used to is keyboards that require Fn for the function keys! Argh!

  • Deal is off, item is now marked as "Discontinued" from the website.

  • Anyone got theirs yet? I ordered on the 3rd, I think it might have just departed the airport today looking at the UPS tracker. I was hoping to get it this week but it is looking unlikely. The 4-6 days claim might be a bit rich, I can only imagine the process will become even slower once it arrives in Australia.

    • +1

      This is the tracking info for the Vaio Pro 11 I ordered from B&H. Shipped on the 16th, received on Monday the 23rd. That's 5 working days (16th in the US is the 17th here) for shipping. I ordered it on the 14th. A second order on the 15th arrived the same day, as they were shut on the 14th.

      Location Date Local Time Activity
      Brisbane, Australia 06/23/2014 11:08 A.M. Delivered
      Botany, Australia 06/22/2014 10:16 P.M. Departure Scan
      Botany, Australia 06/19/2014 8:07 P.M. Import Scan
      06/19/2014 2:59 P.M. Arrival Scan
      Honolulu, HI, United States 06/18/2014 8:57 A.M. Departure Scan
      06/18/2014 6:41 A.M. Arrival Scan
      Louisville, KY, United States 06/18/2014 3:57 A.M. Departure Scan
      06/18/2014 4:18 P.M. Your package is at the clearing agency awaiting final release. / Your package was,released by the clearing agency
      06/18/2014 4:18 P.M. The package is awaiting clearing agency review. / Your package was released by,the clearing agency.
      06/18/2014 4:18 P.M. The package is awaiting clearing agency review. / The package is at the clearing,agency awaiting final release.
      06/18/2014 2:12 P.M. Your package is at the clearing agency awaiting final release.
      Louisville, KY, United States 06/17/2014 10:50 A.M. Arrival Scan
      Newark, NJ, United States 06/17/2014 8:34 A.M. Departure Scan
      06/17/2014 3:59 A.M Arrival Scan
      Secaucus, NJ, United States 06/17/2014 2:30 A.M. Departure Scan
      Secaucus, NJ, United States 06/16/2014 10:14 P.M. Arrival Scan
      Maspeth, NY, United States 06/16/2014 9:16 P.M. Departure Scan
      06/16/2014 9:15 A.M. Origin Scan
      United States 06/16/2014 9:32 A.M. Order Processed: Ready for UPS
      • Yeah that's not bad, mine departured Louiseville today, so fingers crossed for Friday as i'm in NSW. Do they use Australia post to courier it and did it require a signature?

        If it comes the following Monday as the website predicts I won't be home so I would be pissed if they left it under the door mat or something!

        • +1

          Someone else signed for it so I'm not sure who delivered it. It does require a signature though, so they won't just leave it sitting there.

          If the website predicts Monday, I would probably expect it on Monday rather than Friday…

        • Well that's good to know, thanks for your help!

        • +1

          @100nil:
          Usually it's UPS (that's what happened last time I bought from them)

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