Laptop, for birthday.

SavageWaffle · Jul 2, 2008

So, my birthdays coming up. Im thinking of getting a laptop for it. I been looking around, nd need some opinions on this:

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores...552921665364374

Its a Sony Vaio FZ Series: VGN-FZ290EBB.

The specs are on the page.

I'll probably be using this to slowly replace my Desktop. Since my desktop is crap, il just use it for the Hard Drive Space.
Its $1k, and my budget is about $1k.

I'll probably be doing some gaming(not major.),
So, should i stick with this or another?(Recommend please)

Been look at more Laptops:

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?...=Dell+XPS+M1530

Its a XPS M1530.

laminaatplaat · Jul 2, 2008

http://www.notebookcheck.net/
http://www.notebookreview.com/

That Sony will be a good laptop, but it is always wise to check for reviews and some forums to see if people have (big) problems with em on a large scale.

EDIT: BTW you can probably not find the exact same model in a review just read one of the same series and watch what the differences are. slower/faster cpu, gpu etc. etc.

For example if a review pc has bad battery with a non dedicated video card you can imagine what it will be like if you'll take a model that does have a dedicated card.

SavageWaffle · Jul 3, 2008

Thanks, i checked NotebookReview, they didn't have that Laptop.

fischju · Jul 3, 2008

http://www.ibuypower.com/ibp/store/configurator.aspx?mid=288
http://www.ibuypower.com/ibp/store/configurator.aspx?mid=302
These owns the Sony. Much faster graphics and CPU.

SavageWaffle · Jul 3, 2008

as i said earlier, i dont want a fully gaming laptop, If i did i'd rather get a desktop computer a better GPU.

fischju · Jul 3, 2008

The second link I gave is the same price, and has a better CPU and GPU. I don't see what the problem is.

SavageWaffle · Jul 3, 2008

I just dont well trust iBuyPower. Friend ordered a desktop. It was a rush delivery, took him 3 months to get it. So yeah.

DeMoN · Jul 3, 2008

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16834210014

2.00 GHz Intel Dual Core processor
4GB RAM
250 GB Hard Drvie
NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 512MB Dedicated video memory
15.4" screen for portability

All under $1,000

As of today, I'm still slapping myself for not getting this.

SavageWaffle · Jul 3, 2008

Wow thats a really good laptop. But reviewers say its cheap plastic. I'll be moving the laptop from there to there, so afraid it might brake.

EDIT:
"Keyboard isn't just uncomfortable, it's non-functional. Several keys require multiple presses. The touchpad is small and often unresponsive. The wireless bottlenecks at 10 mbps for some mysterious reason. The webcam simply doesn't work. The battery life (not listed here) is poor: 1.5 hours of just basic web surfing. The website doesn't have any drivers, period. The tech support is completely unresponsive, I've been waiting for 5 days and received no response."

I need a good keybored that is functional.

DeMoN · Jul 5, 2008

Well if you want quality and productivity then you should just get the Dell M1530. Keep in mind it will cost a bitch though since you can't get it on Newegg.

FAST6191 · Jul 5, 2008

My experience with the vaio line (mainly mid to high end desktop replacements) is less than brilliant (no drivers worth a damn (thankfully omega drivers stepped up), usual botched install of windows (trivial to fix but still more time than it should have been), parts a pain to get when it breaks (custom nonsense which I ended up making myself most of the time), battery (not that I or anyone I know cares whatsoever about it) would be less than an hour, DVD drives spit more coasters than I care to remember, cooling awful and the best dust magnet I have ever seen (heat->lower clock-> useless machine (my single core 2.93GHz machine got to the point that my very stripped down version of XP could not play an mp3 on media player classic with rudimentary postprocessing).

Then again that could be said of just about everything in laptop world.

re: cheap plastic. I have only seen custom designed laptops ("foam/metal casing or better) able to stand up to anything more than a stern look and I have never seen a worthy touchpad other than touchscreen laptops.
To this end USB ports exist for a reason (PS/2 splitters/adaption kits especially) and a £20 laptop case is not hard to get.

My suggestion: drop some money and get one of those ultra low power machines I see around these days (more than suitable for portable internet and office work if you know what you are doing) and then use rest of it to score a decent desktop (if you can use the old monitor and the like until you can be bothered to spring for a new one).