Just found the best alternative for SXPS 1645

Update**

SONY F11 $1999 - 7% discount for being a student = Total $1859. (without TAX)
Genuine Windows® 7 Professional 64-bit
Intel® Core™ i7-820QM processor (1.73GHz)
16.4" VAIO Premium Display (1920x1080) NVIDIA®
GeForce® GT 330M GPU (1GB VRAM)
Fresh Start No additional Office Software
4GB (2GBx2) DDR3-SDRAM-1333, Upgradable to 8GB
500GB 7200rpm
Blu-ray Disc™ player
Keyboard Backlight
Large Capacity Battery
3 Years Warranty


DELL 1645 $2663- discount $394 = Total $2269 (without Tax)

Intel® Core™ i7-820QM Quad Core Processor @ 1.73GHz
Genuine Windows® 7 Professional, 64bit, English edit
3 Year Basic Service Plan edit
Full HD Widescreen 16.0 inch RGBLED LCD (1920x1080) W/2.0 MP
6GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 at 1333MHz , Upgradable to 8GB
500GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
8X Slot Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
ATI Mobility RADEON® HD 4670 – 1GB
85 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery



Lenovo W510 $2060 with student discount (without Tax)
Intel Quad Core Processor i7 820QM (1.73GHz 1066MHz 8MBL3)
Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64
15.6-inch machine with option 1920x1080 RG-ph LED FHD (95% Gamut 270 NIT) and Multi Touch Screen
NVIDIA NVS 5100m Discrete Graphics 1GB DDR3 with Intel Advanced Management Technology
4 GB 1333MHz SODIMM Memory, upgradable to 16GB
500 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
Multi Recorder Optical Drive (12.7mm)
9 cell Li-Ion Battery
newest Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300
USB 3.0 support
Integrated Mobile Broadband - Upgradable

I returned my Dell SXPS 1645 core i7- 820QM because of the AC adapter issue (throttle) and have been waiting for an alternative. This could be the one. I'm also considering new sony vaio too

The specs of Lenovo are too awesome and better than SXPS 1645 but cheaper??? . Sony's specs is not better than SXPS 1645 but a lot cheaper and have Bluray option

 

One more alternative from Sony. So if any of you feel disappointed from Dell SXPS1645 (like me) You might consider this one and the above Lenovo


http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=439906&page=10


Specs (VPC-F11Z1E/BI):

Intel Core i7-720QM (with Intel Turbo Boost)
8 GB DDR3 SDRAM
500GB HDD (5400 rpm, SATA)
BD-RE Blu-Ray Disc/DVD±RW DL/RAM
VAIO Display Premium 16.4" Full HD (1920x1080)
NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M (1 GB VRAM)

 

Thinkpad - no way, too bulky and ugly
SONY F (FW) - definitely, but hoping the new keyboard won't ruin he design and that it doesn't look that its cousin CW...

 

lol close but no ciggy

Thinkpad: ^ what he said
Sony: Too pricey and way too prone to failure.

 

I only wish ASUS N61JQ-A1 will get Full HD LCD option.

16" WXGA HD LED (1366x768) Glossy
1024MB DDR3 HD5730
Intel® Mobile Core i7 720QM
4GB DDR3 1066MHz
500GB 7200RPM Hard Drive

 

According to engadget, only the T510 has the Core i7, the W510 is i5. Looks like a bit of a plain jane in the style department.

 

Realy ? but i got information from this site

http://www.slashgear.com/lenovo-thi...-intel-dual-core-core-i5i7-injection-0367509/


It should have i7 (not Arrandale)processor definitely since W510 is a lot expensive than T510. Maybe you 're misunderstanding

 

I hear you and i feel the same however, its specs is making me rethink about it

1.15.6-inch machine with option 1920x1080 RG-ph LED FHD (95% Gamut 270 NIT)

2. a choice of quad-core Core i7-720QM, Core i7-820Q or Core 2 Extreme i7-920XM processors

3. up to 16GB of RAM

4. NVIDIA Quadro FX 880M 1GB graphics

5. offer USB 3.0

6. New Intel Wifilink 6300 3x3


For a Software Engineer like me whose daily works depend on the very powerful computers, it's just too awesome.

For me ,design always comes later than performance

 

Really? I always thought and heard that Dell's more way too prone to failure than Sony

any source?

 

As tigereat mentioned, the W510 is considered the workstation version of the 510 models, it would be very strange if the T510 is given i7, while the W510 is only available with the i5. In addition, the only difference between the T500 and the W500 were the GPUs. And the W500 was not a lot more more expensive. With the only exception being the graphic card, the W500 is 1149, compared to the T500's 1014.

There are no sources for this beyond anecdotes, including yours. The difference between Dell and Sony would be that Dell has premium consumer, lower range consumer, as well as business model lines, whereas Sony's lines tend to be separated into premium/lower model lines.

I would be willing to match up Dell's business models against Sony's products.

In addition, you are comparing Lenovo's new business class unit with Dell's already available premium consumer class unit. For it to be an actual valid comparison, try comparing it to Dell's M4500 when it is announced. 16GB RAM would also indicate that it has 4 slots for RAM.

The Sony and the XPS 1645, however, would be a perfectly valid comparison.

PS: Use multi-quotes instead of posting repeatedly.

 

haha being ugly is very subjective

I find the thinkpad style to be sober and smart .

 

No I don't have an official source, it's anecdotal like someone said. I've had several friends brag to me about their new Vaios only to hear a few months later that it was broken or it had died on them. Or that some part had to be replaced. Their designs always feel so flimsy too, I wouldn't buy one.

 

Anecdotal reports are unreliable, as none of us has the experience of thousands of laptops. Once source of unbiased data on repair frequency for laptops, and for many other products, is Consumer Reports. I recall from two or three years ago that Sony laptops had a relatively high frequency of repair (meaning they were less reliable than many othe brands) but I have not checked lately.

 

I never said everyone should go by me, I just personally wouldn't trust a Sony.

 

Since we are now talking about the laptops we might choose instead of the 1645, I am considering the hp dv7-3080us. I've seen one of these at the store.

I am concerned I wouldn't be able to adjust the contrast because it was awful.

It's a Core i7 with 6GB which has been what has interested me the most. Although the RGBLED display was really nice, I don't NEED 1920x1080. I also don't NEED blu-ray and bluetooth. They are nice, but not necessary.

HP seems to be shipping 120W adapters, which is a good sign, but with what's been going on with Dell I am curious about throttling.

But heck, who says any of these laptops aren't throttling. unclewebb should be opening a lot of people's eyes about the performance they are paying for.

 

I'll probably try to return my laptop after CES that way I can say for sure what I'm interested in. I do not want one of those i3, i5 systems. I can't go back after using the i7 lol

 

Me either, I cant go back. and not use i7.

 

Now New Sony F11 with the same spec is cheaper about $400. Its not pricey anymore

 

Interesting, I might take a look

 

New Sony F11 series laptop is REALLY looks gorgeous and will definitely add a X-factor to your personality. Love the design/keyboard, pure professional. But should have i5/i3 option left to the customer, instead of the only i7 processors. Rest configs are OK. But its little pricey with 7200 rpm 500gb hdd, 4gb ddr3 ram

 

It's coming too F11 with i5/i7 duo core.

 

The sony is actually cheaper than the Dell, if you can believe it (crazy right?).

 

I'm considering this as well, what's your configuration and what did the price come to?

 

Agreed I'm glad I returned my Dell i7 1645 costing me $2,400 at the moment.

 

if You meant the i5/i7 duo cores of the F11 model. It doesn't come out yet at this moment. Bu it will be soon enough.

 

It is currently available for order at sonystyle.

 

pfft I checked out the sony and unless I missed something that GPU isn't gonna cut it. I'm sticking with my crippled SXPS...for now.

Plus it's plain.

 

Could you please give me a link? I cannot find anywhere offering i5/i7 dual cores on F11 model.

 

Yep , I dont like that too, but you pay less than SXPS 1645 about $400, it a good deal.

 

Not if the 400 difference is due to a huge drop in performance. I need my quad core and my 4670 lol. Which kinda sucks since there are very few (if any) real alternatives.

 

I just ordered new envy 15 with i5.

 

Sorry.

Didn't realize you were looking for the dual cores. Just quads, for now.

 

But the F11 comes with the i7 quad core. doesn't it? only difference is GPU. It's not going to be a hug drop like you said. See my OP you will see I configured F11 and SXPS 1645 with the same CPU.

One more thing, if you are looking for performance, New Lenovo W510 is better but lower price(see OP). This is a best alternative in term of Performance/Money.

 

You gave me hope , then destroy it

 

It's big if you plan on gaming...which I do.
I agree with the lenovo being good in terms of performance/money but for me after having the SXPS16 I'm quite spoiled and I need
Performance/Money/Style

 

Any customized laptops are costlier than the ReadToShip laptops with same configuration. I wish Sony F11 should have ready-to-ship F11 model with i5/ 500gb@7200rpm / 4gb ddr3 ram / FULL HD 1080p screen / cd-dvd writer.

 

Oh your are right, in your case.

My bad, I thought you're already working and using a laptop for IT jobs or Software Engineering works like mine.

I agreed if you're looking for gaming Sony's is not a good idea. But, I never want to play games or watch bluray movies on my Laptop since Its screen is too small for me. I play games and watch bluray movies on PS3 connected to 46 inch Samsung FHD LED. It's much better.

However, I still want powerful computers with a good GPU for my software jobs. So I might go with Lenovo's but the only concern is I have never used any Lenovo's laptops but I have had a wonderful time with Sony's . For Dell, I just bought my first Dell i7 SXPS 1645 like yours but I already returned it due to the throttle issue. It's a good laptop but I dont think I should pay $2400with my cash (not financing) but cannot use it at its full capability without using throttleStop program and 130W AC

 

It's better than other dell home product, but still too plastic.

 

Found this Video on Youtube about Sony Laptop

Playi Street Fighter 4 on F11 equipped with GPU NVD GT330 at FULL HD resolution and get about 43 FPS is good ?

I never play games on my laptop so I dont know .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miC8fYSyjV4

 

I really wonder how the two displays compare between the Sony & the Lenovo, not just the size but the Sony isn't an RGBLED. It looks pretty good in the video. The Lenovo's specs are impressive, but I didn't see an HDMI port on it, I think it's a Display port. Looks like the Sony only has two USB ports, unless the SATA port doubles as a USB.

 

I'm curious about that too. Thanks for reminding me about the HDMI Port. Lenovo advertise that "Next-generation DisplayPort technology provides clearer, crisper images and a larger viewing area"

The features I like most are

"W510 mobile workstations offer X-Rite® PANTONE® color calibration for greater image accuracy, more precise color matching and a consistently true display. "

" W510 models feature a 95% NTSC gamut, multitouch panel for enhanced true-life 2-D and 3-D images and easy-to-use Multi touch-screen technology"

"USB 3.0 technology (available on W510) improves file-transfer rates, speeds external device charging and enhances USB Web camera performance"

These feature are killing me

 

ONe more thing, Sony F11 comes with 150W AC and 135W for Lenovo W510 This should tell you that i7 Quad core needs more than 90W adapter. So the Power issue found on Dell XPS 1645 could not happen on these two model. I'm glad I returned my 1645 costing me about $2400 at the moment

DEll, be a Man and accept your mistake

 

Welcome to DELL

 

Here's some info. on Display Port: http://www.tech-faq.com/displayport.shtml I want being able to connect my PC to my Home Entertainment processor giving me both full HD on my 60" Pioneer Elite plasma & surround sound. I found an adapter here: http://www.startech.com/item/DP2HDMI-DisplayPort-to-HDMI-Cable-Adapter-Converter.aspx Watching any online content AND being able to have a 60 inch monitor is really cool.

The multitouch screen & 3.0 USB are "Bleeding Edge" technology, so I'm a little nervous, potential "unproven" tech.

I'm not crazy about the full size keyboard being off-center from the screen on the Sony either...

Good to hear that the Sony F11 & the Lenovo W510 come with 150/135W power adapters.

Overall, the Sony is the better value - equipped with a 256 SSD HD, and a Blue Ray burner with a bigger Display, is still less money that the Lenovo... but I suspect that the Lenovo is a better machine, I've personally liked the Thinkpad line for some time.

BTW, I'm supposed to receive a Fed-x label for my 1645 via email and it's been two days now... Dell told me that it would come within 24 to 48 hours. My 1645 had random crashes, video crashes, 10 keys not working on the keyboard, and the infamous throttling. They had the nerve to tell me that a Bios was out that would fix the throttling, and offered a replacement machine. I insisted that the machine was not engineered properly by Dell, and I needed a refund. I just hope they don't try to pull the restocking fee on me; I'll have none of that either.

 

Yep I'm waiting for my refund, $2400 as well. I paid with my Debit Card at the moment.

I like like Sony's but its GPU NVD 330, limited only 8GB of Ram upgradable and the inferior Wireless Adapter only supporting transfer rate up to 300 mbps make me hesitating buying one.

I like the Spec of Lenovo, such as 1920x1080 RG-ph LED FHD (95% Gamut 270 NIT) and Multi Touch Screen (This feature is awesome with this price ),USB 3.0, Up to 16GB, Newest Intel wireless adapter supporting 450mbps. These future seem to be more future proof to me. More importanly it is about the same price as Sony's

The only reason holding me back from this laptop is I have never used any Lenovo or IBM laptop before and I have had a wonderful time with Sony's laptop

Another its drawback is the Wireless Adapter, based on the rewiews, F11 is equipped with Atheros b/g/n supporting transfer speed between network only up to 300mbps compared to the newest Intel Wireless Adapter 6300 supporting up to 450Mbps. I set up my home network and use it for streaming some huge files among my computers a lot. So I need the decent speed of transferring. More imposrtantly, according to the reviews, F11's transferring speed is kind of slow.

I'm dying making the decision. I'm Software Engineer. My daily jobs require very powerful computers. And I want my new laptop to be future proof for at least 4 years. Any advices?


I really would like to know comparing the screen quality between Lenovo's (15.6-inch machine with option 1920x1080 RG-ph LED FHD (95% Gamut 270 NIT))and Sony's (16.4" VAIO Premium Display (1920x1080))? Which one is better in Photo Tasks (like accurate color) or over all display quality ?

 

I'm in a similar place, and in fact came to the same conclusions as OP.

Dell:
I asked a dell online rep what's up with the blu-ray drives? They said that they'll be getting blu-ray drives back in the end of February. The XPS16 is currently my top choice, but, I want a blu-ray drive.

Sony:
According to specs, this one is larger and has lower battery life than the Dell. Sony actually has a high track record for stability, shockingly enough: http://tech.icrontic.com/news/asus-toshiba-sony-best-apple-in-laptop-reliability/ ... Anecdotally I've seen more issues with Sony, but the numbers are the numbers. I prefer the styling of the Dell to this.

Thinkpad:
I just... don't like the way Lenovo looks. I had a Thinkpad when they were still branded by IBM. I've looked at the designs in the stores, and honestly, I don't like the way they feel anymore. I've been influenced by using a MacBook Pro (pre-unibody). It's regretful thinkpads are also losing their magnesium-alloy body, which seemed to be the one saving grace of looking so, uh, 'mreh' for lack of a better term.

Oh, and I'm using my ThinkPad now that my Mac has died. One of its hinges has broken, it's extremely slow, its USB ports don't go above 1.0 speeds even though they're 2.0... The right click of the mouse broke only after a few months of use... So... Yeah, it's both sturdy (it's lasted like 6 years? 7?) and not (omg i want a new notebook )


In my perfect world I'd find a 14" notebook with the specs of all these 15" ones, but, that's not happening ... So I say..

Either dive in for the Sony, or wait till the end of February. To add more indecision, I read that there are new video cards maybe coming out in March for dell? That's an extremely light rumor, though, please don't put any credence in it. More research is needed.

 

I think I'm in a quite similar situation, looking for an up-to-date machine to be used as a professional notebook (powerful CPU --> i7-820QM, a lot of RAM --> 8 GB, expandable to 16) and for general use too (good screen --> better if RGBLED, maybe Blu-Ray, etc.).
I've given up to the idea of buying a 1645 (because of news about throttling, random freezing, the general feeling that Dell did a lot of technical and/or marketing mistakes with it) and looking for something more professional.

At present, the most interesting notebooks (for my needs, of course) seem to be:

- Dell M6500: a lot of praise from first owners, it seems to run like a Ferrari, stay cool and have almost everything ... heaviness included! Adding weights of the notebook and its 210W adapter I calculated about 5 kg (11 lbs)! Too much weight for me, if I could find something almost as good at least 1 kg less ...

- Dell M4500: just rumored, I suppose that a lot of people is waiting for that. It could be a contender for HP 8540w, if Dell does the right design choices ...

- HP Elitebook 8540w: I've read two flattering reviews of its smaller sibling HP8440w ( http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=448528
and
http://hpfansite.com/hp-elitebook/hp-elitebook-8440w-review/).
8540w model is even more powerful and feature-packed (e.g. USB 3.0 ports).
I haven't a good opinion of HP consumer notebooks but Elitebooks seem to belong to a very different breed, at least judging by owners and testers opinions.

- Lenovo W510: another tempting machine but several opinions read around state that Thinkpads' build quality is not as good as it used to be and HP Elitebooks' quality is better.

- Sony F11: for some strange reasons, I'm inclined to consider Vaios "less professional" than the above mentioned machines, but I'll have a more in-depth look at it ...


HP 8540w is at the top of my list at present, but I want to wait for some more feedback (by reviewers at least) on that and the other machines.