Asus W7J Vs. Sony SZ Premium

Alright, I am sure you all have heard this question before, but it's my turn to ask it.

I have been around these forums for a couple months now or more and I have finally reached the point where I need to order a laptop. I need to recieve it by the begining of September at the latest. I know that's probably not going to work to get Merom...


I want to know if anyone compared the Sony SZ Premium model with the Asus W7J.

Which is thiner and lighter?

Which has a better build quality or are they about the same?

Better screen?


After researching them it seems they both basicly have the same specs, though the W7J has that bad soldered ram that I could probably live with.

Which is the winner? (I know the price difference, but in terms of quality and everything.) This might be a biased forum so I am posting it in the other one too

 

SZ premium is lighter and thinner.

SZ has better build quality (carbon fibre & aluminum VS. ABS plastic)

I can't comment on the screen but I suspect the SZ is better since it utilizes the LED backlighting to improve colour gamut.

Of course, the SZ is clearly the winner but you pay almost $800 more.

 

the sony keyboard is horrible. and sony build are not very sturdy even their bussiness class notebooks that are tougher are lacking. i have never seen a sony that is built as well as asus high end ensebles.as for the screen i dont think there will be a big difference at all. i would pick the asus in a second. the only thing i personaly think the sony has is better battery life.

 

Anyone else have any other comments before I place an order?

Should I wait for updated versions? Any ETAs?

Sony seems to be the winner from most people that I have talked to.

 

People you have talked haven't owned an Asus and not everybody know about Asus.

 

I've always heard about the superior build of the asus. Sony's on the other hand have a great resale value. I think that you may recoup a large portion of the extra cost for the SZ this way. The one thing I don't like about the Sony is the proprietary software and hardware. I had the chance to play with a Sony SZ this weekend and honestly was not a fan of the aesthetics.

Let's also not forget that Asus makes notebooks for some of the best companies out there, such as Apple.

 

Doesn't Asus also build the Sony SZ's?

 

I had the Sony SZ for a couple of days and returned it because the keyboard was absolutely horrible. It had the worst keyboard I have ever encountered. I know I am spoiled because I've always had IBM Thinkpads, which have an excellent keyboard, but the W7J's keyboard is almost equal to the IBM's with more features so I purchased that instead. There was even a restocking fee for the Sony but I didn't care...I just couldn't keep it. No difference in the screen at all, weight: Sony is lighter. Build: Asus sturdier, flex witht he Sony. Battery: Much better in the Sony...you choose. I chose ASUS

 

I thought Sony had a 30-day no-questions-asked return period. That was thier policy at the Canadian Sony store when I bought an s260 last year.

 

How do you know that that's even true? Have you talked to everyone who MFL101 talked to? No, I didn't think so.

Truth be told, if you ask people in the Sony forum, they'll suggest Sony. If you ask people in the Asus forum, they'll say Asus.

Hardware specs wise, the Asus is definitely a better deal. It has practically the same hardware as the Sony, but at a cheaper price. Also, the Asus has a higher quality webcam (1.3 mp vs. 0.6).

However...

The Sony looks a lot better, is lighter, and has better battery life. If you aren't a constant gamer, you'll appreciate the ability to switch between using the more battery-demanding nvidia 7400 go and the Intel integrated graphics. The Sony keyboard is indeed unique and you may like it or hate it. If you try out the Sony keyboard and decide it isn't so bad, I suggest you get the Sony. It may cost more than the Asus, but you get what you pay for. Plus, the body is made out of magnesium! Might I also mention that the soldered ram in the W7J is incredibly stupid and will hinder future memory upgrades.

Some negatives to the Sony are the bloatware and the incredible difficulty in reinstalling Windows. However, a fellow forum member has posted very comprehensive instructions on how to do a clean install of XP.

Basically, there might be some little things about the Sony that will cause you to not like it (ie. keyboard). However, you should buy it first, check it out, and if you don't like it, just return it and choose the Asus. If you find that you do like the Sony, you will always be glad you chose it over the W7J.

If you buy from Amazon.com ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...691/ref=pd_bbs_8/104-0451780-7882340?ie=UTF8), you can get an SZ for only $1573.99 which is only $74 more than the W7J, so don't trip over people telling you that it costs an additional $800. The SZ from Amazon.com also includes better memory because they run at 667 mhz, not like the memory in the W7J which is only 533 mhz.

 

i believe the ASUS will be a better choice. Dont forget the fundamental fact that ASUS is known for its motherboard ( which is a major factor in most laptop failures after hdd.)

I have personally felt the SZ , the screen feels as if its going to crack if its handled by an careless person. But i do agree the mag chasis is decent.

 

I've checked out a number of SZ's in various retail stores, but I eventually ended up getting the W7J.

For one thing, I didn't like the keyboard on the SZ and the touchpad buttons felt spongy. Also, the SZ is definitely thinner and lighter, but it felt somewhat fragile compared to the W7J. As others mentioned, the screen is very thin and not so sturdy.

It's obviously a personal preference, but I like the aesthetics of the W7J more than the SZ. And all the SZ reviews I read mentioned how difficult it was to do a clean install of Windows, and that Sony support was quite bad. Plus, I've heard from a number of sources that Sony laptops are more prone to failure than Asus models (even though Asus actually manufactures the SZ).

And lastly, I felt like the price of the SZ was very high... Maybe there are some cheaper places to get it now though.

 

Didn't buy it from Sony, bought it retail. There WAS a restocking fee, but I didn't care. I couldn't stand the keyboard.

 

hope you love your asus like I love mine!

 

Save your bucks. Go for the ASUS W7J which has better specs. The SZ is a rip off

 

Yeah, the Sony is a bit overpriced. I don't know if it's a TOTAL ripoff, Seb, but the Asus is definitely the better value. I prefer the looks of the W7 personally,.