Sony Vaio Laptops?

Decos

What are Sony Vaio Laptops like?

Im getting a new laptop soon and was just wondering, i know the Vaio looks good but what is it like apart from that?

These days is it a case that it is completely all about the components of the laptop and the brand does not matter at all? ie. will an acer laptop with better spec be a better buy that a Sony slightly lower spec laptop?

Ive been looking at a Sony Vaio with Intel T3400 Dual core processor and 3GB RAM, 250gb hd. for 599 euro in powercity

MrStuffins

Decos wrote: »

Ive been looking at a Sony Vaio with Intel T3400 Dual core processor and 3GB RAM, 250gb hd. for 599 euro in powercity

Wow, you better by that before i do

Contact PowerCity via their website and tell them Harvey's are doing the same laptop for €579. They'll match or beat the price (they ring you back after you send a comment via their website. Very useful.

If you also tell them you don't want the printer that comes free (when you buy online) then they'll knock about an extra €10 or €20 off it.


Was going to buy the same laptop myself, but found i struggled to press the left/right click buttons on it (they required a decent push on the one i was using, which was pretty disruptive) and the grid kind of design surrounding the keyboard was imprinted on my hands after a few minutes of use.


The real good thing that the laptop has going for it is it's "X-Black" screen. When i was using it, I didn't notice it (whether that's good or bad I don't know) but i wasn't thinking of it either. According to websites, the screen they use is pretty good at killing the reflection that accompanies so many other laptop displays.


Although, from a personal standpoint, the reflection on gloss screens is probably my biggest issue with laptops. Every laptop should have a matte finish option.




EDIT:


If you were using the laptop for old games (PS2-era games) and internet browsing; would there be much difference in either of these:


NS20E/S

http://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-30-NS20ES



VGNNS10L/S

http://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-30-NNS10L



I don't know much about processors, etc. so I don't know if there's a substancial difference between the two.

melekalikimaka

Deleted User wrote: »

Although, from a personal standpoint, the reflection on gloss screens is probably my biggest issue with laptops. Every laptop should have a matte finish option.

i'd say complete opposite, colour and contrast reproduction is awful on matt. I have a sony vaio with gloss and i chose it as it has an excellent screen and decent dedicated gfx, I use it as my workhorse for photoshop/lightroom and can't praise it enough, only issue is gloss are easily cracked...

Can i ask you then, you say you have a Vaio, is the X-Black screen thing just a marketing gimmick, or is it actually useful to counteract the reflection issue?

Spent nearly 1100 on fz nearly 2 years ago and the mobo fried 14 months after.

There internal fans are terrible small.

I would never buy one again personally.

Number Nine

melekalikimaka wrote: »

i'd say complete opposite, colour and contrast reproduction is awful on matt. I have a sony vaio with gloss and i chose it as it has an excellent screen and decent dedicated gfx, I use it as my workhorse for photoshop/lightroom and can't praise it enough, only issue is gloss are easily cracked...

We have 3 sony vaio's (two in gloss) and would agree with everything melekalikimaka said and more . We had no problem with the gloss cracking yet

We also have an acer , which is complete junk compered with a sony .

melekalikimaka

Deleted User wrote: »

Can i ask you then, you say you have a Vaio, is the X-Black screen thing just a marketing gimmick, or is it actually useful to counteract the reflection issue?

bit of both... its gloss, reflections are gonna be an issue... but i think it does do something, its not that bad at all... reflections arent overly and issue tho tbh... if i wanted a lappy to used outdoors alot i would go for matt, the quality drop would be big but gloss really isnt for the rugged outdoors

kikel

X-Black is a glorified way of saying Gloss. Dell have truebrite which is a glorified way of say gloss.


Gloss screens don't break any easier than Matt. The Sonys do have weak casing which can cause the screens to break.

Well can someone give me an opinion then?


I want to pick up a laptop that will rarely ever be used (after the novely wears off) but when used will most likely be for films, MAME and internet.

I'm torn between Sony VAIO NS20E/S - Approx €580 or thereabouts

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-NS20ES-15-4-inch-Laptop-2-16Ghz/dp/B001PO5UG4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1242676804&sr=1-1


or a Toshiba Satelite L300-1DN - Approx €480 or therabouts

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Toshiba-Satellite-L300-1DN-15-4-inch-Pentium/dp/B001QFZ92C

denat

Number Nine wrote: »

We also have an acer , which is complete junk compered with a sony .

In what respect is the acer "junk"?

kikel

I'd go for the Toshiba, When the warranty is up and it breaks it will be the cheapest to repair. I find Sony parts hard to source and can be expensive. Toshiba parts are a hell of a lot cheaper.

kikel

IMO Acer are not junk

Cheers. I think I will go for the Toshiba. May pick it up tomorrow. Thanks.

Hamiltonion

Have a Sony CR series with a 4gig Ram and 200gig HD, All i can say is Jesus christ. Is seriously quick, run lightroom and photoshop on it. Also a great gaming system. Bout 8 months old and set me back 1100 but totally worth it, picked it over a macbook

Decos

Ive been looking at a Sony Vaio with Intel T3400 Dual core processor and 3GB RAM, 250gb hd. for 599 euro in powercity

Thanks for the replies lads, keep em coming.
Have any of ye had issues with your Vaio connecting to your wireless router?

Ill be looking to run photoshop and maybe music s/w like Reason and Cubase. (not all at the same time!). Would the specs above allow me to do this easily enough?

melekalikimaka

Will run them perfect, and routers are grand

DublinWriter

Typing this now on my trusty six year old Vaio.

pawrick

still use my 3 year old (maybe almost 4 yrs old but forget when I bought it) vaio every day. never had a problem and only thinking of upgrading it now since it's a bit slow for what I want at this stage.
model FE11H

been carting it about since I bought it on trains and buses and it's still like new. very sturdy and no problem with the screen - reflection is not a problem.

I do tend to lose wireless connection a bit but that could be down to my router and also things may have improved since I bought it.

my friend bought a vaio a year ago and I will be buying vaio again once I get someone to take this one off me

I've decided I'm going to buy a Vaio when i get a chance. In the mean time, I mooched around and just thought I'd post this in case anyone is interested. It's the current going price for it in different nationwide places (this is for the NS20E/S Model):



Argps - "Save €30!" - Was €629.99 - Now - €599.99 - Cat. No: 508/0946


D.I.D Electrical - Retail Price €579.95 - Online "Beat the VAT" Offer Price - €542.25 ('Beat the VAT' offer ends 24th May)


Harvey Norman - "Save €30!" - Was €609 - Now €579


Power City - Retail Price €649.95 - Online Price €599.95 (NOTE: Online purchase will receive free HP 3-in-1 Scanner/Printer/Photocopier).




On a related note, contacting Power City via powercity.ie and mentioning other stores will result in them reducing their price to match other. I wasn't aware of DID's price when i contacted them, but they did offer to match Harvey's price, and offered a further reduction if i decided i didn't want the printer. Came to about €550 without the printer if i wanted it.

With DID advertising it at €542.25, they currently have the cheapest price. The offer ends soon though (24th of May). I'm not sure if Power City will match this, as it is a special offer. If you're in Drogheda, however, you may get Harvey to match it (as the stores are beside each other and you could just tell them if they go €10 cheaper than DID you'll buy it there. I doubt they'd turn you away, but you never know I guess).


Argos have the most expensive price and as far as I know, you can not haggle a price in their stores. Catalogue price is non-negotiable.