iBood - Sony Vaio Intel Core 2 Duo €699.95

Santa Claus

Brand : Sony Vaio
Type: VGN-FZ31E
QWERTY Layout
Operating system: Windows Vista Home premium
Platform: Intel Centrino Duo processor Technology
Chipset: Mobile Intel PM965 Express Chipset
Microprocessor: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5450
Supports Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology
Microprocessor speed: 1.66 Ghz
Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 2048 advanced smart cache
Frontside bus: 667 Mhz
Memory: 2048 (2 x 1024) MB DDR2 SDRAM with a speed of 667 Mhz
Drives: DVD+-RW/+-R DL/RAM
Storage capacity: 200 GB
Speed 5400 RPM
Type: serial ATA
Screen: X-black LCD 15.4 inch
Resolution: 1280 x 800 WXGA
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT GPU 831 MB of available graphics-memory and 128 MB of video memory
Interfaces: 4-pins i.LINK (IEEE1394) 400 Mbps / DC input / memory stick slot / SD card slot / Microphone connection / RJ-11 direct port (modem) / RJ-45 direct port (network) / 3 x USB 2.0 / VGA connection for monitor / 2 x tv-output (S-video + HDMI) / Audio-output / 34 mm Express card slot
Built-in modem V92/V.90 with integrated wireless LAN (max 300 Mbps)
Type wireless LAN: 802.11a/b/g/n/Draft n (range max 100 m)
Integrated bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (range 10 m)
Ethernet network: 100 BASE-TX/10 BASE-T
Multimedia: Intel High Definition Audio compatible / 3D-surround / Built-in stereo loud speakers / Compatible with Windows Sound System / Sound Reality
1.3 megapixel built-in camera with 30 FPS and 1280 x 1024 (SXGA)
Battery: Lithium-Ion battery (VGP-BPS8) charge time 230 min use 135 min
Software: VAIO Music Box / Windows Media Player 11 / Sonic Stage Mastering Studio 2.4 / Adobe Premiere Elements 4 / VAIO Content Importer / Exporter / WinDVD 8.0 for VAIO / DivX-player and –converter / Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 / Google Picasa / Easy Media Creator 9 / Click to Disc/Editor / VAIO Movie Story / Adobe Reader 8.1 / Adobe Standard 8 / Microsoft Works 8.5 / trial version of Microsoft Office 2007 (60 days try & buy) / Norton 360 (with 60 days free antivirus updates) / VAIO Recovery Utility – hard disc recovery (hidden partition) / Skype / Google-software packet
Weight 2.8 kg
Warranty: 2 years

What do people think, good deal ??

Linoge

I think its v good. Really like the HDMI connection, bluetooth and 802.11n. V decently specced

cupthehand

Battery: Lithium-Ion battery (VGP-BPS8) charge time 230 min use 135 min


Does that mean it takes 230 mins to charge it and you get 135 mins use out of it?

chris1970

agree check
http://vaio.sony.ie/view/ShowProduct.action?product=VGN-FZ21E&site=voe_en_IE_cons&pageType=Accessories&category=VN+FZ+Series

no 31e listed , missing blu-ray drive not on this model, but 2 year warranty, pretty darn good to me

Santa Claus

chris1970 wrote: »

agree check
http://vaio.sony.ie/view/ShowProduct.action?product=VGN-FZ21E&site=voe_en_IE_cons&pageType=Accessories&category=VN+FZ+Series

no 31e listed , missing blu-ray drive not on this model, but 2 year warranty, pretty darn good to me

iBood normally sell european models so prob why the 31e isn't listed (I'd imagine sony.ie have the UK&Ireland models only listed).

The_Conductor

Peats cleared this model at the same price 3 months ago.
Its a nice laptop, and a Sony, but there are far better specs out there for similar or slightly more.

yop

Ya its decent but there are better specs out there, I have gotten in a few for a good less money in the last few weeks. Would search around first before buying it lads.

Ivan

Perhaps you should provide us with some links then, I mean, just to add credibility to your nay-saying

I've certainly never seen anything of comparable power for that money.

TerrorFirmer

Would be surprised if this exact model was being sold at that price as a clearance model in stores.

As a laptop - decent spec's in itself for the price, but the fact it's a Sony with 2gb Ram, 200gb Hard Drive and an 8400GT would seriously drive the price up - pricing it against other Sony's, I would have estimated about 850 at least..

Obviously if you go Dell you'll get a better machine for the same price, but that's not comparing like with like.

Kintarō Hattori

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

Obviously if you go Dell you'll get a better machine for the same price, but that's not comparing like with like.

Indeed it wouldn't. I have a Vaio myself and they are extremely well put together and very reliable.

IamBeowulf

yop wrote: »

Ya its decent but there are better specs out there, I have gotten in a few for a good less money in the last few weeks. Would search around first before buying it lads.

Any examples? Cos I'm shopping for a laptop and this seems sweet...

The_Conductor

IamBeowulf wrote:

Any examples? Cos I'm shopping for a laptop and this seems sweet...

Here

17" -versus 15.4" on the Sony
Core Duo T5550 1.83 GHz- versus T5450 1.66GHz on the Sony
250Gb harddrive- versus 200Gb on the Sony
Intel x3100 graphics (DX10 compatible)- versus nVidia 8400M on the Sony (the nVidia has native HD support, the Intel programmable, plus the nVidia has 600Mhz core speed, versus 500Mhz on the Intel. The Sony does have better graphics- but also a much higher power draw than the discrete graphics of the Dell- at 22 Watts versus 13.5 Watts)
2.0 Megapixel camera versus 1.3 Megapixel on the Sony
Interfaces virtually identical on both machines.
The Sony has Draft N wireless, whereas the Dell is Intel A/B/G

So- the Dell has a better processor, bigger hard-drive, better camera, you can choose any of 8 different colours, and can customise (at a price) to better specs than the Sony's better components (graphics card, bluetooth, draft n wireless) if you need those additional components.

Price- the same!

Alternatively- you can get a new Inspiron 1525 for 479- fully 220 less than the Sony. Choice of 8 colours free of charge, same memory, faster dual core processor (Pentium dual core rather than Core Duo- it does use a it more power, but not too noticeable) 160Gb harddrive instead of 200, Intel x3100 graphics- instead of the better nVidia 8400M, same screen size, similar battery, etc. It doesn't have a camera though or bluetooth.

You really have to decide whether the extra outlay is worth the badge?

Pop into Peats and some of the bricks and mortar stores and you'll find periodic sales, possibly clearances, that will beat the Ibood offer.....

The Sony is ok value, but I'm not thrilled with the offer either. If it was better specced (or a smaller screen size- instead of the me-too 15.4") then maybe I'd be more enthused.

TerrorFirmer

First of all, the Sony looks far better then the Dell aesthetically, I have a Dell and have owned several, but I would never try and pretend that Dell could match Sony in the styles stakes - yes, it might not be worth the price difference to many, but it is to some and it impact heavily on the price. That's just how it is.

Also, it's not an 8400GS in the Sony, but an 8400GT - which is considerably better and closer to the 8600GS in terms of performance.

I still think the Sony is good value - OK, if it was a Dell, it wouldn't be but...it's not. It's a Sony.

Linoge

smccarrick wrote: »

Here

17" -versus 15.4" on the Sony
Core Duo T5550 1.83 GHz- versus T5450 1.66GHz on the Sony
250Gb harddrive- versus 200Gb on the Sony
Intel x3100 graphics (DX10 compatible)- versus nVidia 8400M on the Sony (the nVidia has native HD support, the Intel programmable, plus the nVidia has 600Mhz core speed, versus 500Mhz on the Intel. The Sony does have better graphics- but also a much higher power draw than the discrete graphics of the Dell- at 22 Watts versus 13.5 Watts)
2.0 Megapixel camera versus 1.3 Megapixel on the Sony
Interfaces virtually identical on both machines.
The Sony has Draft N wireless, whereas the Dell is Intel A/B/G

So- the Dell has a better processor, bigger hard-drive, better camera, you can choose any of 8 different colours, and can customise (at a price) to better specs than the Sony's better components (graphics card, bluetooth, draft n wireless) if you need those additional components.

Price- the same!

Alternatively- you can get a new Inspiron 1525 for 479- fully 220 less than the Sony. Choice of 8 colours free of charge, same memory, faster dual core processor (Pentium dual core rather than Core Duo- it does use a it more power, but not too noticeable) 160Gb harddrive instead of 200, Intel x3100 graphics- instead of the better nVidia 8400M, same screen size, similar battery, etc. It doesn't have a camera though or bluetooth.

You really have to decide whether the extra outlay is worth the badge?

Pop into Peats and some of the bricks and mortar stores and you'll find periodic sales, possibly clearances, that will beat the Ibood offer.....

The Sony is ok value, but I'm not thrilled with the offer either. If it was better specced (or a smaller screen size- instead of the me-too 15.4") then maybe I'd be more enthused.

Good post but one obvious thing that you've left out is the HDMI connection. The license for HDMI is €30 alone so you can expect that to become an extra €50 when added to a laptop

Zonda999

Linoge wrote: »

Good post but one obvious thing that you've left out is the HDMI connection. The license for HDMI is €30 alone so you can expect that to become an extra €50 when added to a laptop

TBH, i dont really see the point of a hdmi port on a laptop umless it has a bluray drive.I maen theres a vga port on all laptops and practically all tvs with a hdmi port would also have a pc input.