Review: Sony Vaio TZ (TZ170N) performance

The Sony Vaio TZ ultraportable notebook series is available with 1GB or 2GB of RAM and either a 1.06GHz (U7500) or 1.2GHz (U7600) Intel Core 2 Duo processor.

Since I mentioned "zippy performance" in my first impressions piece and I couldn't offer any analysis of the benchmark results yielded by the U7500 and 2GB of RAM combination of my TZ170N, I'd like to share some additional numbers and details that should put everything into some real-world context.

Before I go on, here are some specs of the TZ170N that are relevant to performance.

CPU:	1.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo U7500 533MHz FSB, 2MB L2 cache
RAM:	2GB 533MHz DDR2
OS:	Windows Vista Business
Storage:	100GB Ultra ATA, 4200 rpm
Graphics:	Intel GMA 950, 945GMS chipset
Video RAM:	224MB

Optimization

I'm not much of a system tweaker, so I actually haven't optimized Vista at all. Even though I have between 84 and 87 processes running at all times and always take advantage of Aero and Windows Sidebar, I honestly see no reason to disable or tweak anything to improve performance.

My housekeeping routine includes Windows' system tools (disk cleanup and defragmenter) and Uniblue's PowerSuite (RegistryBooster, SpeedUpMyPC, and SpyEraser). I run through everything about once a week, which seems to keep the TZ running exactly as it did on day one.

My startup items include:

• Windows Defender
• HD Audio Control Panel
• Intel Common User Interface
• Alps Pointing-device Driver
• ISB Utility
• Java Platform SE 6 U2
• Protector Suite QL
• AML
• SmartWi Helper
• AntiVir Workstation
• Microsoft Windows Mobile Device Center
• QuickTime
• iTunes
• Microsoft Windows Sidebar
• Bluetooth Stack for Windows
• PrintKey

System Activity

Here are some shots of how my system looks as I write this in TypePad via Firefox.

CPU Usage

Disk Load

Memory Usage

Performance Times

Now for the results that really matter: time.

Your time. How much of it will the TZ170N take away when you want to shut down, reboot, launch a program?

Sleep:	3 seconds
Wake:	5 seconds
Restart:	3 minutes, 3 seconds
Shut Down:	3 minutes, 38 seconds
Cold Boot:	1 minute, 57 seconds
Launch Firefox:	5 seconds (first launch after restart) 2 seconds (subsequent launch)
Launch IE7:	3 seconds (first launch after restart) 3 seconds (subsequent launch)
Launch Word :	7 seconds (first launch after restart) 1 second (subsequent launch)
Launch iTunes:	13 seconds (first launch after restart) 11 seconds (subsequent launch)
Launch WMP11:	5 seconds (first launch after restart) 3 seconds (subsequent launch)
Wake to Firefox Launch:	8 seconds
Wake to IE7 Launch:	9 seconds
Wake to Word Launch:	7 seconds
Wake to iTunes Launch:	16 seconds
Wake to WMP11 Launch:	7 seconds
Rip DVD to DivX*:	35 minutes

*1:18 movie to DivX (320 x 240, 684kbps, 462MB) using CloneDVD Mobile with Firefox and Word running in the background.

Conclusion

The TZ170N's restart, shut down, and cold boot times are atrocious, but since Vista's default "off" state is actually Sleep, such times are somewhat of a non-issue. I use the TZ for at least 10 hours daily, sleeping and awakening the system five or six times each day, and restart the unit about once a week. In the past seven weeks, I've shut down and cold booted only twice.

How you interpret the timed results above depends on what you're used to, but for me, the TZ170N is basically an instant-on device. I don't own anything else that can awaken and then access the no-compromise full internet in eight seconds.

Comments

[Steve Paine]

I love all those stats you do Jenn! Nice one.

So what exactly is 'wake to FF launch'
COme out of standby and startup FF? DOes it include connecting to wifi?

That process takes about 15 seconds ont he S37 which I think is quick.
8 seconds is really bloody fast!

Steve.

[Jenn]

Thanks, Steve.

Yep, all the "wake to launch" times include coming out of sleep, connecting to wifi, and launching the program completely.

I'm getting around 15 seconds on the OQO Model 02 (Vista Ultimate) too.

[Rodfather]

Thanks Jenn. Great stuff. I like that you put numbers that matter.
What would be nice if there's some standard video file and encoder everyone uses as one of the performance tests.
Like some movie trailer and encoding w/ quicktime to a h.264 file.
Whenever I get a new device, I think I will use video encoding as a test and compare results with the Q1.

[Rodfather]

Actually can you do me a favor and try to play this file? It's 720p HD video encoded with h.264: Link

I might be thinking of raising the performance requirement of my next device to at least be able to play HD footage.
Someone ran it with a Fujitsu U1010 and had choppy playback. It's very, very choppy when I try playing it with my Q1.

This has a link to a WMVHD file too. It's a big at 173MB so I understand if you don't want to test that one.
http://rodfathermobile.com/2007/10/07/aiptek-a-hd-indoor-video-test/

[Benz145]

Can we expect battery tests soon? : )

[Jenn]

Hi Rodfather. Is something supposed to happen in the first video? There's some slight movement in the trees from the wind, but that's it.

I'm downloading the second file right now and will report back when it's done (30 minutes left).

[Jenn]

That's up next, Benz. It's taking longer than expected because I use the TZ so much and don't have a continuous chunk of time to run everything in isolation. Multimedia tests, for example, will probably require about 5 or 6 hours, which is a long time to ignore the TZ!

[Jenn]

@ Rodfather: The second file plays back with no problem. Smooth and stutter-free. CPU usage while playing the video in WMP11 topped out at around 60%.

[Rodfather]

Thanks :)

[Chris Davies]

Dammit, these figures were supposed to dissuade me from the TZ. I'm furious at you, Jenn!

[Dr.Drane]

Nice review!

My TX5 with vista is too slow to handle. It's rotting in my closet now.:-(

I wish I had a Lifebook T4220 with T7700 core...
powerful, touchscreen of 10", 4gb ram possible...

I bet it evens kicks the TZ... :-)

Greets!

[Chris Davies]

Jenn, do you regret at all not going for the SSD version?

[Jenn]

Not even a millisecond has been spent regretting it, Chris. Until capacities increase and prices come down, I won't ever buy a SSD model of any computer. The top-of-the-line TZ has half the capacity of my configuration and costs nearly $1000 more!

There are benefits of an SSD over a HDD, of course, but none of them justify the added cost for me. My TZ runs eerily silently, is plenty fast enough for me, and isn't ever subjected to any kind of jostling that a HDD couldn't withstand.

[richyhu]

Excellent post as always Jenn. My TZ is the same config as yours so I will compare my own times if I get some spare time (sic).

I don't regret getting this configuration either although the new Japan models look interesting - 64GB SSD + 200GB 5400 rpm HDD / 200GB HDD + DVD-RW / 64GB SSD + DVD-RW ;-)

[Billy]

Jenn,
If i need to downgrade my TZ-16 to window xp, could you guide me where to find its driver?? Thanks in advance

[Chris Davies]

Billy,
There are full XP instructions (and links to Sony's drivers) here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=159585

[Gary]

I'm trying to figure out why the WWAN connection gets stuck on "Authenticating" around every 3-4 times switching back and forth from WLAN internet connection. Any ideas

Also, have you had any luck with ReadyBoost using SD card?

Thanks

[Jenn]

@ Gary: I haven't activated the TZ's WWAN account because I just use my HTC Advantage's HSDPA connection to get online when there's no wi-fi around.

Which model do you have? Mine has 2GB of RAM so I haven't looked into ReadyBoost at all. I see the option listed whenever I insert a memory stick but never felt the need to test it out. Are you getting error messages?

[Gary]

I have a TZ170N w/ 2GB. Usually only 55% max memory being used. Do you think that means I would get no boost from ReadyBoost?

RE: Wan. Sony support said to restore computer, Sprint said to delete WWAN, and let it re-install. Did both, not fixed. Still, every 3rd- 4th time i satrt up WWAN, it gets stuck on "verifying User Name & Password". Seems random.

[Jenn]

My understanding of ReadyBoost is that it only makes a difference on computers with 1GB of RAM or less.

Your WWAN experience is odd. Have you done any googling to see if this is a common problem? Since both Sony and Sprint's solutions didn't work, you may want to sift through the Notebook Review forums or start a new thread if it doesn't already exist.

When it does work, what kind of speeds are you getting?

[osman]

i've had no luck with readyboost using 2gb sony memorystick or sandisk ultra 2 1gb sd cards...i think it must be something to do with the TZs card reader that is the prolem

i have a tz11xn/b btw

[Jenn]

Doesn't it already have 2GB of RAM installed? As I mentioned above, I don't think ReadyBoost makes a difference in systems with more than 1GB.

What kind of error messages are you getting with the memory cards you've tried?

[Rick]

SO I have the 150N and am having a few issues.

1. I have divx files that stutter and pixelate when I try to watch them fullscreen. Default size they have no problems -- I think the video card can't handle it. :(

2. SmarWi reports g, even though windows says I'm connected via n wireless. SmartWi never says n for anything. Very odd.

[die]

Here are the best possible times I've been able to achieve with my TZ thus far. I say thus far because my speed continues to improve the more and more I use the system.

Stats are...
System: VGN-TZ150N/B. I added in a Crucial 2GB memory stick to upgrade the RAM from 1GB to 2GB. So the specs *should* be similar to the VGN-TZ170N/B being reviewed here, except I'm using a different branded RAM.

OS: Vista Business, clean installation with Sony utilities and drivers re-installed from esupport.sony.com The OS has been heavily tweaked (I prefer the word drugged), except I have not gone into disabling services yet via services.msc because I did not notice a substantial performance gain the last time I tried tweaking them. That, and I'm scared to ruin what I have going right now.

Cold boot - 38 seconds. Cold boot time was measured with the system off, from the moment of pushing the power button on the right side of the machine until the desktop with Start menu and pointer appeared. Tack an additional 10 seconds to count wifi being detected and the hdd to slow down its activity.

Shut Down - 12 seconds. Measured from time pressing "Shut Down" on Start Menu until the computer's power goes off.

Processes running with no applications running (Total) - 37, on average.

I did not install ALL the sony utilities though; just the basic stuff. For example, I didn't install Windows Media Player 11 (which is annoyingly slower than WinAmp and also adds an unwanted process), so I don't have access to InstantOn.

I have Firefox, Winamp, MS Office, Photoshop, Eclipse (Programming IDE), and a few other applications installed with roughly less than 80GB left in space. Deleted the recovery partition to free up an extra 8GB. Vista itself takes up about 7 or so GB when you clean install.

I won't lie; it did take me a few weeks (counted about 8 or so times clean installing and starting over) to get it to be this quick, but well worth the time spent.

I am posting just to show you can definitely achieve far better times than what you're reporting with you're non tweaked Vista OS. Hope everyone is enjoying their TZ as much as I am. My appreciation for the in-depth reviews and pictorials.

PS: I turned off Hibernation (frees up a couple gigs or so) and I don't remember what my Sleep times were, so I can't really divulge much information on those two. I'm more of a "turn it on and shut down when I'm not using it" type of person so I don't use Sleep/Hibernate (but thus, have been able to measure my cold boot times many times to be able to verify they are indeed stabilizing to my reported under 40 seconds).

[Jenn]

Wow! Your times are incredible. Thanks for sharing that, die. It's great to know that the TZ can be even better than it already is. :-)

[ed]

need advice. am about to buy my son a Sony vaio tz [ 1.3ghz, 120GB hd, Vista business, et al ]. issue is itunes not working well ?! is this still true? any advice ?

thanks

[Phil in Afghanistan]

Hi folks. I have the TZ27GN, very happy with it in general but have noticed that when i put it to sleep, on waking the DVD drive has disappeared - it is still in memory, but doesnt show up on My Computer and cant be found until you do a restart. Does anyone have this probelm? It doesnt occur with Hibernate... I wonder if I changed some Vaio power settings? BUt I dont know which ones...

[gghiq]

it would be great if die could post the order of installing the drivers to have a smooth clean install