Portable/Performance - The balance

pimpy_c

I'm looking into purchasing a new laptop soon enough and I was just wondering if anyone could recommend anything that is reasonably portable (~14" screen) but still manages to retain some performance. I guess the main thing is as small a laptop as possible but without an integrated graphics card and a modest amount of ram.

Any ideas? Let's try and keep the cost down too.

Bluefoam

I have ordered a Sony Vaio C Series & should have it in the morning.

http://shop.sonystyle-europe.com

It has a 13.3 Wide-screen tft
core 2 duo 1.6
1.25GB
100GB HD
Dual Layer DVD Burner
Wifi 802.11a/b/g
etc...

There is a higher spec with 120GB & Nvidia GeForce Go 7400 256MB.

For me its a good, light, small laptop, that I can carry around easily, keep up with all my daily tasks (inc. powerpoint, photoshop, Cad & some 3d as well as the usual email & interweb). The screen size is quite usefull - not too small for lots of use.

If I have any intensive work to do I will use the desktop but don't forsee that happening too often.

if you shop around you can knock a good bit off the price, I rang sony-style direct & they offered me a really good discount.

Bluefoam

Bluefoam wrote:

I have ordered a Sony Vaio C Series & should have it in the morning.

http://shop.sonystyle-europe.com

It has a 13.3 Wide-screen tft
core 2 duo 1.6
1.25GB
100GB HD
Dual Layer DVD Burner
Wifi 802.11a/b/g
etc...

There is a higher spec with 120GB & Nvidia GeForce Go 7400 256MB.

For me its a good, light, small laptop, that I can carry around easily, keep up with all my daily tasks (inc. powerpoint, photoshop, Cad & some 3d as well as the usual email & interweb). The screen size is quite usefull - not too small for lots of use.

If I have any intensive work to do I will use the desktop but don't forsee that happening too often.

if you shop around you can knock a good bit off the price, I rang sony-style direct & they offered me a really good discount.

or try alienware their 14" can be specked up to a good standard

http://www.alienware.co.uk/Product_Pages/notebook_all_default.aspx

pimpy_c

Thanks for the info guys.

Bluefoam wrote:

or try alienware their 14" can be specked up to a good standard

http://www.alienware.co.uk/Product_Pages/notebook_all_default.aspx

I had a look at this but it turns out the only option for the video card is an Integrated Intel® Media Accelerator 950. I need something slightly better than that if possible.

ianwalsh2

What about the Dell XPS M1210?
I have one and I fink it's fairly class! 12.1" screen so it's very portable, almost everything you could want, and it's not as ridiculously expensive as most of the smaller laptops.

subway

seco nd for the xps, have one myself and its fantastic.
i dont play games so went with a gma950 which runs vista perfectly.

got mine off a reseller on ebay for 1000eu, he does a max spec yoke for 1600-ish which is excellent for what your getting in a 12" screen

//edit - linky
http://cgi.ebay.ie/Dell-Inspiron-M1210-XPS-2-0-100HD-7200-XP-PRO-3YR_W0QQitemZ110058734157QQihZ001QQcategoryZ177QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Bluefoam

Got My Vaio yesterday and it is very capable. Really is a good buy & you have the choice to get it with a 256mb graphics card...

subway

just had a look at the sony site and have to say the c-series are the first sony ive seen that acctually appears to be good value for money.

defienitely one to check out in future