Hi guys ,

Comparing their general specification ..

Processor:

TZ :  1.06GHz U7500 Core 2 Duo processor

TR : Ultra Low Voltage Intel® Pentium® M Processor 1.10 GHz
& Could be upgraded in Taiwan       See

Memory:

TZ : Max 2GB RAM

TR : Max 2GB RAM .. using two of the new 1GB DDR SDRAM for TR   :wink: See

Hard Disk Drive

TZ : 100GB HDD MAX

TR : Reaches 80GB HDD for sure ( MK8007GAH ) .. But 100GB still nobody sure yet if it will fit or not :cry:  See  

Optical drive _Or_ 2.5” HDD :  :!:

TZ : built-in DVD super-multi drive ... Or ... 2.5” HDD

TR : built-in DVD super-multi drive ( UJ-852 s )    See ... Or ...  2.5” HDD using ” MrBishi ” great idea   See

Display:

TZ : 11.1” LED-backlight screen

TR : 10.6” TFT WXGA 1280x768
& there is a great project by ” Josh ” to upgrade TR’s screen to be LED-backlight screen !!!  :shock:  See

Video Chipset:

TZ : Intel GMA 950 graphics

TR : Intel 855GM ( TR is the loser here   )

Network:

TZ : 802.11a/b/g WiFi

TR : could be upgraded to 802.11a/b/g WiFi     See

Camera:

TZ : 0.3 MP MOTION EYE ( can’t be rotated )

TR : 0.37 MP MOTION EYE ( can be rotated .. TR is the winner here   )

————————-

IMO , TZ won’t come with a very big difference in specification that make me leave my lovely TR   ...

I have to agree with you Q80. I noticed that the only real difference in a newer ultra portable VAIO is maybe the fingerprint sensor, but the specs are close to the same as our TRs.

This is why I am interested in upgrading and tweaking everything because there is no reason to leave the TR!

TX/TZ series of course are slimmer in form factor, our TR in comparison to TZ is a bit bulkier, but it is still kinda cool looking!  :wink:

For me the one and only disadvantage of the TR was the keyboard, and first of all the too little right shift key, which also was too “hidden” and too near the arrow keys. This resulted in too many misprints!

Wow! I never knew you could upgrade the processor in the TR, I thought the LV and ULV chips are soldered, how did you upgrade it?  :shock:  :D

I myself don’t even know the stips to upgrade the processor .. but ” mandychao ” does :
http://sonytr.siliconpopculture.com/viewtopic.php?t=6335

He said that in Taiwan they use a ” smt machine ” to upgrade the processor .. and this kind of machines can’t be found with simple users !

Maybe a local satellite TV repair shop might be able to do it, but I doubt you’d find anyone will guarantee success..

http://www.mces.co.uk/

Something like the above shop in the UK…..... they repaired a Voodoo 5 6000 for me, (rare early 3d card never officially released). It had some burnt chips and PCB damage on it, the repair was very good, didn’t mend the card, but most of the v5 6k’s never worked to begin with all being pre-production versions before 3dfx went bust :cry:

Camera:

TZ : 0.3 MP MOTION EYE ( can’t be rotated )

TR : 0.37 MP MOTION EYE ( can be rotated .. TR is the winner here )

Also the TR camera can be upgraded to 1.3MP.  I can’t remember where I saw that but will look up the link.

Wow legend where did you read that ? please try to remember !! coz it’s not just an upgrade .. it’ll be a solution for TR’s died camera !

BTW , I updated the original post since the TZ appears to have more options ( in the optical drive section )    :wink:

There is a disadvantage in TZ’s keyboard too   ,
The spaces between the keys ! .. it gonna give an additional space for dust and crumps !

Yes, one has to try and avoid dust and the like to get between the keys. But the TX and TZ keyboards are so much better in the important aspect of having a keyboard with good located keys and that is pretty tactile good to use, especially for writing. In this way the TZ keyboard with its big enough and nicely located right shift key and Del key up in the right corner is good. I also think it will be well suited for writing over time.

I find it very interesting that in Japan, they offer you the choice of an all English American keyboard.  :shock:

When do you think importers like Dynamism will get it? I am thinking of maybe importing it? Too bad its expensive, but like all ultraportables.  :wink:

Yep , maybe the location of the keys affect on using the keyboard ..
But I think it mostly depends on person’s habit ..
For me , my fingers never ever forget the location of the keys on the TR’s keyboard  

As a writer, also my fingers “remember” very much where the keys are located on a keyboard. My only point is that the right shift key on the TR keyboard is too small and to easy to miss compared to the very good right shift keys on the T, TX and TZ keyboards.

So, to Sony design department: Keep up the good work with making the keyboard on the sub-laptops also in the future as big and well located as on the TZ!

Well ,  I agree with you that the bigger right shift key is better .. but , IMO , TR’s right shift key is not too bad that called a ” disadvantage ” ..
Because the person could habituate himself to use it .. Also person could habituate himself to use the ” big ” left shift key instead of using the right one ..

Perhaps not a very big deal, but it is an important detail. As for instance psychologists in the field of interface between man and machine know, especially the screen (vision) and keyboard (the tactile stimuli) are of great importance when a person is using a machine several hours a day. It really is my point that such a small and badly located right shift key as is the case with the TR, IS an unnecessary disadvantage. Nothing much to discuss, by the way.

But the important thing is that all the later models in the T series have very good features when it comes to keyboards, and especially this key we all once in a while do need to hit right without too much training.