Z63a VS Z70a

I'm having a hard time choosing between these two laptops.

I like the fact that the Z63a has a glossy screen and is a bit more portable.

But the Z70a does have a 15.4" screen and better speakers.

Will I even notice much of a difference between a 15.4" and 14" WXGA screen? I'm currently using a 12" widescreen (Dell 700m) now so anything bigger would be a big improvement as far as my eyes are concerned.

As far as portability is concerned will I even notice much of a difference between these two? It looks like the Z70a is only about 1/2 a pound more.

 

Jumping from a 12" widescreen to 14" widescreen is heaven.... jumping down from a 15.4" to a 14" is surprisingly easy to get used to. Don't buy any laptop for it's speakers....... if you're an audiophile, you're going to have a nice speaker setup and if you're on the road you're going to have a nice set of headphones.

a 1/2 to 3/4 of a pound between the W3 and Z70 is a considerable amount at this weight...... the form factor or the footprint if you will is really the main reason why the W3 is going to be a lot more portable.... but the weight certainly contributes.

 

if you really want to see if it's too big or not.. what you could do is get the dimension specs of the Z63 and Z70, then get some paper, newspaper, etc and line them up to fit the dimensions of those notebooks, and then you can compare their sizes side by side.

when I did that, I personally found the 14' wxga to be enough for my needs. And Justin is right about the audio.. i'm usually going to hook it up with external speakers or headphones.. so it shouldn't be too much of a factor.

 

Thanks Goren, that's an excellent idea for him to try.

 

I personally hate glossy screens. I think it's just a way to make someone feel better about themselves for buying a cheaper computer. I can do without seeing myself and everything behind me reflecting off my screen.

Plus the WSXGA+ on the Z70V is sooooo much better than an ordinary WXGA.

 

Personally, I think you'd be better off with the Z63A... the glossy screen, although overrated, is an improvement over the Z70 screen. Also, the Z70a doesn't have WSXGA+... and if you have a 15.4" screen, the higher resolution is a must!

give yourself some eyecandy and go with Z63A

 

I'm so mad that sony was the one willing to pay the most for the glaretype screens to begin with...... Reflection is simply the result of a "glossy" screen used for purely marketing reasons and that makes the good ones look bad. A Glaretype screen without the high brightness output will result in a "reflection" when the brightness is anywhere below even with the ambient light. The only time I get a true reflection on my W3 screen is when I'm outside in the sun....... and then the system is still useable until you turn the system directly into the sun because the bright reflection just won't let you see the whole screen.... but surprisingly the screen is still viewable, just not useable.......... something not evne possible with a mattetype display...

 

Thanks for the advice guys,

I think I'm leaning towards the Z63a now. One thing I forgot to ask, how do the keyboards compare on these two models? Is one better than the other?

I can't stand the small keyboard on the 700m. But I absolutely love the keyboard on my Thinkpad A22. Do either of these come close?

 

I haven't tried the Z70..but I just got back from PCbuzz, a store where I finally was able to touch and try out an Asus. They had the Z63 and this is what I can say about it..
build is very good.. i pressed all over..the palm rest, the lid, etc.. no flex. Keyboard is also good and the keys are slightly bigger than that of the Z91. Although to be quite honest.. the keys are still not as good as a thinkpad's.. but then again. what is? if you're still wondering about size.. since the store clerk placed it next to several other laptops..I can state that a 14' wxga is about as tall as a regular 12" laptop, but as wide as a 15" laptop. that was the impression I got when it was next to the Z91 and Z33.

 

Aright I pulled the trigger and ordered a Z63a. I went with ISTNC since I've heard great things about them and they are only a couple hours from me so I figured I'd throw my business their way. I'll admit the aluminum case deal from Proportable was pretty tempting though but I already have a good travel bag

I think the 14" screen will be perfect. I've been using my 12" for a few days without an external monitor and I've kinda gotten used to it so I think 14" will be great. I'm really looking forward to a full size keyboard and a touchpad that isn't crap. Only thing I'm worried about is the sound on the Z63, I've heard it has pretty low volume, shouldn't be an issue though I've got decent speakers and headphones.

Thanks for all your help !