Sony VAIO SZ Series Docking Station

by Sony

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2.2 x 13.6 x 10.4 inches ; 1.6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000E8YY1O
• Item model number: VGP-PRSZ1
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 17, 2006

Product Description

Sony VAIO SZ Series Docking Station is a handy interface is essential for the mobile user. It lets you quickly and easily connect to all your workstation peripherals. And when you're on the go, there are no cables to plug and unplug.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Several shortcomings - either the laptop or docking station, April 9, 2007

By 

M. Cox (Stewartstown PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony VAIO SZ Series Docking Station (Personal Computers)

I've experienced these shortcomings with this docking station.

1. My system forgets the monitor configuration nearly every time I boot - I don't even have to undock it. I work with the external monitor only, and use it in 1600 x 1200 mode. After a restart, it comes up properly, but about 5 seconds into the boot (probably loading the NVIDIA control panel stuff) it switches to dual display and makes the external monitor 1280 x 800 to match the internal. I have to manually go into the NVIDIA control panel and set everything up. On occasion, it'll remember and come up correctly - but not often. Sony has no answer.

2. No power adapter. You'll need to buy one if you don't want to dig out and hook up the laptop's AC adapter each time you dock (who does?)

3. Bad DVI support. My external monitor "looked" good through the DVI port, but when the laptop tried to put the monitor to sleep, the monitor just flashes "Mode not supported"... forEVER! It never goes to sleep. I've used the monitor (Samsung SyncMaster 213T) on several other computers without a problem.

4. Using the above monitor via Analog port allowed the sleep function to work, but the text is a little fuzzy; seems a bit out of focus. Tried numerous adjustments and at its best is mediocre. Again, above monitor on my Dell laptop via Analog looks better.

5. No power off? You can undock, but you can't use the power button to shutdown or turn on the computer without opening the clamshell. Come on, Sony! What were you thinking?

6. 3 USB ports in this day and age just isn't enough. For the amount of money I paid for a docking station that didn't even come with power adapter, I shouldn't have to ALSO buy a USB hub.

But... if you have this nifty little laptop... what ELSE are you going to buy? :(

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Half hearted attempt, May 4, 2007

By 

Edmund Kelly (san jose, ca United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony VAIO SZ Series Docking Station (Personal Computers)

1) Multi monitor software is poor. Manual configuration of external monitor is required on every re-connect. Dual monitor (using the laptop screen and an external monitor) does not seem to be supported.
2) Analog video quality is poor. Dock seems to degrade the signals.
3) No power supply included.
4) No provision for audio.
5) Only three USB ports

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Product is fine, Sony support is awful, January 4, 2007

By 

David J. Waks "broadband dave" (Morris Plains, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony VAIO SZ Series Docking Station (Personal Computers)

The docking station we received had a defective Ethernet port - it kept dropping out. We called Sony for support, and it took many phone calls to isolate the problem to a defective unit. Then it took nearly a dozen phone calls, hours on the phone, and more than four weeks for Sony to repair the unit and send it back to us. We kept being transferred between support people - nobody seemed to know how they supported docking stations. After we shipped it back for repair, nobody seemed to be able to find it or tell us the status. We were relieved when it arrived at our front door, with the problem fixed.

We have liked Sony products in the past and the docking station was purchased for our brand-new top-of-the-line SZ VAIO notebook. After this experience with Sony support, we will think many times before we buy another Sony product.