Battery Life In Games, Presentations, And DVD Playback
- 1. Flat But No Design Flub
- 2. Test Setup: All The Bells - Almost
- 3. Pleasant Surfaces And Bi-Color: The PCG-Z1SP In Images
- 4. Pleasant Surfaces And Bi-Color: The PCG-Z1SP In Images, Continued
- 5. 1.5 GHz Pentium-M: The Slightly Slower 1.6 GHz Pentium-M
- 6. Benchmarks Under Windows XP
- 7. Synthetic Benchmarks
- 8. SiSoft Sandra Benchmarks, Continued
- 9. Multimedia Performance: PC Mark 2002
- 10. Application Benchmarks
- 11. MP3 Encoding: Lame
- 12. 3D Performance
- 13. Open GL Games: Quake3 Arena
- 14. System Performance: Sysmark 2002
- 15. Battery Life In Games, Presentations, And DVD Playback
15. Battery Life In Games, Presentations, And DVD Playback
THG determines the operating times in battery mode using three typical daily applications:
DVD playback: A DVD (Apollo 13) is played back until the battery is empty. Presentation: A presentation runs in a repeating loop until the juice runs out. Game: Here, the demo from 3D Mark2001 SE serves as the basis for the test.For all three tests, we selected the "Portable/ Laptop" setting as the energy scheme.
The PCG-Z1SP fails to impress with its battery life. The battery juice can't even manage four hours - not exactly a laudable performance for a Centrino device in this class. The reason is undoubtedly to be found in the battery's relatively low capacity (48.8 Wh). Anyone who wants long battery life and is dead-set on owning the PCG-Z1SP just for its design will have no alternative but to order the high-capacity battery Sony sells, as well.
Conclusion: Love It Or Leave It
As far as design goes, Sony's PCG-Z1 has certainly achieved the unusual. This will probably pay off, not least from the sworn members of the Vaio community, with high sales.
From a technical point of view, the Z1 series has shortcomings in the 3D area. Although they won't really play any role in typical office applications, they will mar enjoyment of the machine. The same applies to the standard warranty terms. Here Sony grants just one year, with, upon inevitable payment of another sum, the option of a three-year extension.
In conclusion: anyone that can get through a normal day with an unusually designed device and four hours' battery life (standard battery), and who doesn't give a hoot for 3D performance, will be well served by the PCG-Z1.
- Previous page System Performance: Sysmark 2002
