Help deciding between VJ1P-AJ003P and F3Jp-AP040P

Hie,

I'm looking to purchase my first notebook.

I know they are from different ranges, but I'm trying to justify the differences between both and the prices. They are essentially the same.

For a difference of about £300 (nearly USD600), these are the differences that concerned me:

VJ1P vs F3Jp:

1. 2GB instead of 1GB RAM - i'm not much a gamer, so rly worth extra RAM?
2. WSVGA+ screen instead of WVGA - will the extra resolution rly make a diff? do i have to run Windoze at this high resolution, can i lower it.... will it be at lower quality ie. since not native resolution, quality is not so good?
3. 160GB HD instead of 120GB - a plus
4. 1 docking port - useless to me, prefer extra USB port
5. 8-cell 5200mAh over 6-cell 4800mAh - longer battery life?
6. Lighter due to magnesium alloy material, but worried about flex n damage 2 screen......

F3Jp vs VJ1P:

1. DVI over mini-DVI - this i'm not sure..... is DVI more popular/available over mini-DVI? will my LCD take mini-DVI?
2. Extra USB port
3. External TV tuner

Actually, i was looking at the dimensions and weight..... the VJ1P is only a tad lighter n smaller in dimensions compared to F3Jp..... which changed my opinion that the VJ1P is an ultra sleek and light notebook compared to the F3Jp. The difference really very small..... not the ultra light notebook i would have thought it to be.

So, i would ask for your opinion if the price difference justify the extra bits n bobs.

Thanks in advance.

P/S I'm wondering how come the VJ1P couldn't fit 4USB ports there.... i mean, the A8Js has 5......

 

Not just the resolution of the screen is different, the screen itself has wider viewing angles and is a rung up.

For a lighter one you should look at the samsung x60

 

Okay, I'll try to keep this understandable: I'd recommend the VJ1P and here's why:

Your positive things about the notebook:
1) 2GB RAM...no you are not a gamer, but Vista is going to eat a lot of RAM and while upgrading later doesn't cost that much it will end up costing more if you start with 1GB then upgrade instead of getting 2GB to start. Think of it as extra performance padding for those later years of the laptop's life.
2) WSXGA+ is a much more comfortable (for me at least) resolution for a 15.4" notebook. If you find the text is too small you can always adjust the DPI settings up for fonts without degrading the overall appearance of the desktop.
3) (If I'm reading this correctly) The VJ1P comes with the T7200 processor whereas the F3JP has the T5500. VJ1P's CPU has twice the L2 cache (and Intel processors live to use the cache for better performance) and a higher clock speed. If you use processor intensive apps you'll be thankful for the extra power (the T7200 is also usually the best price/performance ratio processor). If you don't use all that power, it is again extra padding for when you need it later (CPUs are not easily upgradeable). One of the main reasons I had to buy two laptops within 14 months was because I thought my weaker CPU'ed laptop would cut it...I was wrong so I had to buy another one.
4) While the 160GB drive is a plus, you can always upgrade later (but that could again be more expensive in the long run). The more you have now the later you can wait before needed a bigger drive.
5) The docking port could be useful if you starting traveling from home/office a lot.
6) A lack of USB ports can always be overcome with a mini-USB hub that is very portable. But seriously...I have 3 USB ports and I've found that to be enough when on the run. At home though...I have four USB hubs.
7) Most of the specs between the two laptops have very similar power consumption...I'd tend to think the bigger battery would last longer.
8) Magnesium alloy is actually deceivingly strong...you wouldn't think so when it is so thin-n-light...but it is.

Your negative things about the notebook:
1) You mention the VJ1P has a mini-DVI port instead of a full fledged DVI. That is okay; mini-DVI to DVI adapters are out there for cheap (see what the MacBook uses for info). You can always use the VGA connector for your external LCD monitor.
2) One less USB...like I said, USB hubs are your friend.
3) Lack of a TV Tuner. You can always buy one later (and a better one than what comes with the F3Jp). Check out Hauppauge's TV Tuners; I've found them to be of a decent quality for a fairly low price.

Bottom line:
I think it would be wise to spend just a little more now than having to spend additional money later to upgrade the CPU, RAM, or HDD. Also (and I learned this the hard way) you probably won't be inclined to purchase a newer and more advanced notebook as soon as you would had you gotten the F3Jp.

Like I said: I thought my XPS M140 would last me 2-3 years but I ended up finding ways to overpower the laptop within a year. A $1000 purchase that I thought was adequate was not, and I ended up spending $2500 for my current notebook (total of $3500 in one year). I could have spent $2500 at the get go and would have saved $1k.

I hope this all makes sense (I'm a little tired right now) but you get the overall idea...I'd get the V1JP if I were in your shoes.

 

Just to answer some of your questions since night_2004 answered them nicely.

More ram the better, especially when your thinking about the future, Like Vista.

The screen on the V1JP is simply much better than the F3JP, wider viewing angles, brighter, higher contrast, and 16ms respons time.

If the native resolution is WSXGA+ and you want to run the screen of the V1JP at WXGA yes the screen will look slightly off, but you can adjust the DPI to help this. Why not just run it at the native resolution, more real estate is very uselfull.

The V1JP comes with a mini-dvi to DVI adapter so you will have no problems here. ASUS used the mini-dvi to save space since the V1JP has so much to offer.

I understand how many people want more USB ports, but when your on the go I doubt you'll need more than 3 USB ports, but when your at home, why not invest 5-15$ in a USB Hub, either powered or USB powered. Then you can simply plug your USB devices into the hub, and then plug 1 USB cable into the V1JP and it makes your life easier.