New SZ110 Keyboard Sucks

tekmantoo · 03-26-2006, 06:31 PM

I just purchased a Sony SZ110/B and I am really disappointed in the keyboard. How could Sony charge so much for a laptop and have such shoddy build quality. A friend had an older Sony that was just terrific. I previously had an IBM Thinkpad that had an incredible keyboard. Anybody else disappointed with their SZ keyboard?
Build quality in general seems a bit weak: Loose battery, lots of flex. I'm afraid this thing is going back to the store even if I have to pay a restocking fee. Oh well you win some and lose some.

Sunfox · 03-26-2006, 06:47 PM

Battery loosenes can be quickly and completely fixed in 30 seconds with a few small sticky pieces of felt, the kind sold in stores as feet for the bottom of things (I'm not sure why so many find this issue such an unsurmountable problem since it is so easily rectified).

As for the keyboard, I have no trouble with the one on my SZ160. It feels different than any other notebook keyboard, yes, but after using it for a few days I'm perfectly comfortable.

ronin.achilles · 03-26-2006, 07:08 PM

Well, frankly I have absolutely no problems with the keyboard. I have been using HP for last two years, but had really no issue adjusting to SZ keyboard. I actually like the fact that it is a full keyboard... especially the dedicated Home/PgUP/PgDn/End buttons in the last column.

So, yes the keyboard feels different, but definitely not bad. (But yeah, if you ask me, the metallic keys like in TX would have made this the Ultimate Dream of a Laptop :-))

ostack · 03-26-2006, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tekmantoo

I just purchased a Sony SZ110/B and I am really disappointed in the keyboard. How could Sony charge so much for a laptop and have such shoddy build quality. A friend had an older Sony that was just terrific. I previously had an IBM Thinkpad that had an incredible keyboard. Anybody else disappointed with their SZ keyboard?
Build quality in general seems a bit weak: Loose battery, lots of flex. I'm afraid this thing is going back to the store even if I have to pay a restocking fee. Oh well you win some and lose some.

If I were you, I would definantly return it. Silly to spend that kind of money, and be so dissatisfied with one of the 3 primary interfaces with the machine. I happen to like the kbd just fine on mine.

canonyau · 03-26-2006, 09:10 PM

hey, i was wondering, is the premium SZ keyboard any different? I went out to a computer store and saw the non-premium model, and the keys would take some getting used to - but I really didn't like them at all.

The "H" key, and several others, could slide from side to side by a 3-4 millimetres! On my Dell laptop right now, the keys just sort of wobble when I push them to one side, but the sony vaio SZ (non-premium) really was soo bad and hard to touch type on.

Since I'm really considering buying a premium version, hopefully someone can tell me if this is normal for sony sz premium keyboards?

cheers

neenee · 03-27-2006, 01:30 AM

well, i can't slide my keys that far from side to side and
though they wobble a bit, they spring back to the ori-
ginal position when i stop touching them (sz1xp/c here).

Aero · 03-27-2006, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronin.achilles

Well, frankly I have absolutely no problems with the keyboard. I have been using HP for last two years, but had really no issue adjusting to SZ keyboard. I actually like the fact that it is a full keyboard... especially the dedicated Home/PgUP/PgDn/End buttons in the last column.

So, yes the keyboard feels different, but definitely not bad. (But yeah, if you ask me, the metallic keys like in TX would have made this the Ultimate Dream of a Laptop :-))

Same here man, HP before and Sony now.
No issue with the SZ Keyboard whatsoever

Mathias · 03-27-2006, 11:45 PM

I tried the SZ at Best Buy today, and here was one thing I noticed:

I use the trackpad tap instead of clicking the buttons, and when I was doing so, the whole piece felt like it was rattling slightly. It would make a rap whenever i tapped. When I held the trackpad buttons in place while I tapped, it cut this noise in half, but still it was around. The keyboard does seem a little cheap, but I think I'm willing to deal with that. The rattling trackpad (again, this only happens when I tapped either the trackpad itself or when idly drumming the case surrounding the trackpad) is enough to give me second thoughts.

One thing I wondered-- do other people hear this on theirs, or might this have been something a little loose from the store demo model? It didn't seem to be flawed, (ie, this seemed to just be the design of the case) but I figured I'd ask and see what other people thought.
The other VAIOs on display (no others were SZs) did not exhibit this effect, nor did any of the Toshibas or other machines on demo.

Thanks

Vaoifan · 03-28-2006, 04:00 PM

The keyboard on my SZ110 really reminds me of that on my 12-inch Mac Powerbook. Feels a little "clickier" but otherwise very similar. It's not the best I've used, but after a couple of weeks, I'm pretty used to it now.

Mathias · 03-28-2006, 10:13 PM

Does anyone have any input on my impressions regarding tapping on the trackpad? Can someone at least confirm that this noise exists beyond that store demo model?

To further describe it, it sounded like if two pieces of thin plastic are on top of each other, and tapping the top one causes a sharp rapping/rattling with the one right below it.

It might only affect people like me who prefer to use the virtual click by tapping on the trackpad, and never use the actual buttons below it.

Also, am I correct in assuming that the SZ140 would have the identical shell as the SZ110 I saw in the store? Or, since I would not order the biometric scanner, might it be a different case that might not have this rapping sound?

Thanks for any input!

The $1500 SZ140 on sonystyle is VERY tempting, but this is one point I'm concerned about.