Portable yet powerful.

VAIO mobility laptops are primed for portability. Slim, lightweight and durable with big-time battery life, these mobile machines deliver the get-up-and-go your active lifestyle demands, plus the power and performance to tackle any task.

Sony's got you covered.

Sony stands behind every VAIO PC with a manufacturer's warranty that offers excellence and peace of mind. Need extra assistance? Try Premium Services tech support—we'll even come to you. Pick an Extended Service Plan with accidental damage protection to help safeguard your investment, or opt for in-home installation to get off to a great start.

Sony VPC-Z11 - Frequently Asked Questions

Question: I have read an article about the i7 using way more power than the i5. Should I stick with the i5?
Answer: The rumors about i7 using significant more power have been proven wrong. Intel has confirmed that the i7 will have just a slightly increased power consumption (according to the higher clock speed), which will result in a slightly decreased battery life (in terms of minutes).

 Question: Is the large capacity battery either heavier or bulkier than the standard?
Answer: Both

 Question: Will the SSD wear out quickly and will I suffer from performance degradation and stuttering?
Answer: Usually it won't and you won't

 Question: Do the SSDs support TRIM?
Answer: Yes they do, but the (drivers for the) RAID controller don't. This means that there is no TRIM support for the built-in SSD yet. As soon as there is TRIM support for the Intel RAID drivers (which is expected) there will be TRIM support for the built-in SSD.

 Question: Oh my gosh - no TRIM - i'm doomed.
Answer: No you aren't. The SSD has an internal mechanism (garbage collection) to maintain performance which seems to work pretty good.

 Question: I do not even know what TRIM is.
Answer: Don't worry

Question: Will I get dual, triple or quad RAID?
Answer: It depends on the overall capacity and the place you have ordered your notebook

 Question: I need more storage. Can i replace the optical drive to add another SSD / HDD?
Answer: Yes, you can - with some limitations. \

Question: So this won't work for me. Can i at least upgrade the built-in SSD?
Answer: Yes, you can - but only with another Sony SSD. They use a proprietary form factor and connector and there aren't any known third-party drives that fit. You can get the drives (besides other replacement parts) via Sony Parts or your local Sony service provider. Be aware that you have to disassemble the notebook to replace the SSD.

 Question: Can I upgrade the memory by myself?
Answer: Yes, you can - there are two memory slots available which can be accessed without disassembling the notebook. Be aware that your 4 GB memory might be either 1 x 4 GB or 2 x 2 GB; in the latter case you will have to replace both modules to get 8 GB.

 Question: Where can i find the advanced options in the BIOS menu?
Answer: You have to reflash a modified BIOS to access the advanced options.

 Question: Is there USB3 support? Will we see it somewhen?
Answer: There is currently no USB3 support out of the box. If you need USB3 connectivity you have to get an USB3 ExpressCard adapter. Nobody knows if and when there will be USB3 support - but you should not expect it within the next year.

 Question: I have found some defect / dead pixels on my screen. Is there anything I can do?
Answer: Sony states that displays having less or equal than 7 (1600 x 900 displays) resp. 10 (1920 x 1080 displays) dead pixels cannot be seen as 'defect', i.e. they are not covered by warranty and they won't be replaced. You can try to fix the pixels by yourself, return your notebook within the deadline for returning goods or try to find an individual agreement with Sony (unlikely). However there are very few reports about dead pixels, so you do not have to expect having dead pixels when buying this notebook.

 Question: Why does my TPM not work?
Answer: Models pre-Z13 sold in the US do not have a TPM (Z13 do), but there are models with TPMs available in other countries (Europe for example). The US models do have at least a socket for a TPM on-board, but there is no known working solution for user-added TPMs by now.

 Question: Can I use multitouch gestures with the built-in touchpad? 
Answer: Yes, you can by using Synaptics multitouch drivers (in case you did a fresh install) and/or two-finger-scroll.

 Question: Can i run Linux on this notebook?
Answer: Yes, you can. Except brightness control using the hotkeys everything should work fine.

 Question: Will the palmrest wear out quickly? I have even seen pictures on that.
Answer: Usually it won't - at least not more quickly than any other palmrests out there. The complaints you have heard are mostly due to exceptional use.

 Question: I'm still unsure about this wear out stuff - what can I do?
Answer: Get some kind of protective cover. The most mentioned product here is a DIY set from BestSkinsEver, which has to be custom made to fit the notebook itself and the palmrests.

 Question: How do i remove those nasty stickers?
Answer: Just pull them off gently by using something that won't scratch (fingernails, dental floss) and use the sticker itself to remove the adhesive left behind. The definition of "won't scratch" of course contains "pressure" and "intensity". Never ever use some kind of abrasive or an eraser for example. It might also help to warm the stickers a little bit using a hairdryer.

 Question: Is the fan really that annoying?
Answer: It depends on your definition of 'annoying'. Most people don't find it that nasty - others can't live with the slight noise you can hear. You won't find it out for yourself without trying it.

 Question: Will there be a refresh within the next ... months?
Answer: There is was minor refresh in mid june (Z12), but no hardware changes, just different preconfigured models and additional CTO options. There was another refresh in end sep (Z13) with updated CPU options. Likely there might be a refresh within the next 3 to 6 months and no 'new' Z within the next 36 months, but keep in mind that these numbers might turn out to be completely wrong.

 Question: Where can i find updated graphics card drivers supporting hybrid graphics?
Answer: With the release of the Z13 the drivers got updated to 190.24 / 2021. In addiontion, there are community-build260.63 / 2022 drivers, which can be considere fully working for most users.

 Question: Where can i find updated graphics card drivers to have Optimus support? Will there ever be working drivers?
Answer: There aren't any fully working drivers yet.. The Z11 complies with all the hardware requirements for Optimus, so - yes, we might see Optimus support somewhen.

 Question Are there any differences in the chassis material used for the various color options (especially premium carbon fiber)?
Answer: No. The premium carbon fiber is still plastic. The only difference you're paying for is the finish.


Question: I think the answer to one of your questions is just not correct. Should I tease you for that?
Answer: You can if want to, but it would be better to post what you think is correct so i can update this article.

Question: I'm reading the same stupid question over and over again in one of the other threads. I wish it would be listed somewhere.
Answer: Just post it (preferably including the answer) here so i can update this article.

Question: Must have been a hard time to find out all that stuff. You are awesome!
Answer: I'm just collecting and summarising. I do not claim any credit to all the stuff written here. There are a lot of people trying to work out stuff - these are the awesome guys you should thank. I'm sorry that i do not list them here, because as soon as you start to you are going to forget someone and i do not want someone to feel offended.