P5020/P7020 vs. Sony TR3 (structural issues, etc.)

Ive been deliberating for some months on the right laptop for my needs. Im a big fan of the 2120, but alas its not available any more; plus the processor is getting dated.

The P5020 looked promising, but just doesn't have quite the same 'oh what a feeling' as the P2120....has anybody else noticed this? Im sorry, the 5020 has good features, but the creeky plastic just sours me on it. It creeks quite a bit, as the plastic flexes when you hold it from the right corner especially. They could have made that area right above the CD much sturdier; its just weak and unreinforced plastic. It does not exude the same quality as the otherworldly P2120, with its "nakamichi-like" feel, and its not as sturdy as an apple either. If it was built like a 2120, I would be all over it. Some of the new Fujitsu N and C series are very sturdy, but alas are way too heavy.

So anyways, that brought me to the TR3...the computer I "didnt" want to get, partly because the price seemed so high, its the dreamboat of every single joe-average consumer, and because the styling is a little cheesy....like battlestar galactica or star wars [ )]

But you know what? This thing is pretty nice. It is noticably lighter and less bulky than the P5020. And it doesnt creek when you hold it with one hand, which is soemthing you can do noticably easier than with the 5020. Its pretty sturdy, and its light weight (3.1 lb) makes it that much less prone to mass-related structural issues. Its so light, compact, and ergo that it can really serve as a hyper-handheld PDA. In light of these issues, Im thinking the extra couple hundred is not so bad, seeing as the

The only disadvantage with the TR3 is the price, and that you have to buy special RAM's. I figure by the time I need another 512MB, the price will have dropped down.

Any other negatives to consider with the Sony TR3? Hows the reliability and service? $2000 is at my price ceiling and I dont really have an extra $350 for xtended warranty (whereas was going to get $100/3yr from Laptops inc...

Thanks,
Neil


PS: aside from the N and C series, the apples (best screens out there by a wide margin), the only other noteworthy laptop I feel to be structurally sound to my standards is the $1550 Toshiba M35-S320. Its a widescreen with M1.5, 6.2lbs, very nice screen. Alas, its twice as big as the sony in dimensions and weight. Thus, no way this can be a PDA. Sony TR3 is only about $500 more.

 

YOu bring up good points, but I don't handle my 5020 with one hand so the creaking doesn't both me

As for the TR3, you can't upgrade the hard drive with standard notebook drives, it's very expensive, Sony support is not great and the XBRITE screen is either love or hate. That's my take...

Editor in Chief http://www.bargainPDA.com and http://www.SPOTstop.com

 

Hi you said that P5000D is made of plastic, but when i went to a store "notebookoutlet" the store people told me that it is made me pure magnesium. THe cool thing they done was they hit the screen and the lid very hard, and said it si good beceause it is magnesium. I'm kind confused here, i want to get oen very badly, but now hearing taht is made out of plastic! The model i saw was P5020D, i dunno if it makes a difference.

Could someoen provide me with more information on that.

Thank you very much

Xin

 

You're also forgetting the fact that the Fujitsu P5's can read Compact Flash 1 & 2 cards, Secure Digital cards and others, while the Sony (being Sony, can anyone say "Betamax"?) only puts in a Sony Memory Stick reader. What the...?

I don't know about you, but that was the deal killer for me and Sony. I love how my P5 can read multiple card formats (I have two digital cameras, one uses a CF card and the other an SD card). Creaking? What creaking?

Oh, and the proprietary hard drive issue Brian brought up is also a concern.

Nobbie[ ]

 

The case is very strong. I've carried mine in a backpack for 6 months with not a single dent or ding. Keep in mind though that a refresh is due out in the US in the next couple weeks, so you might want to hold off for that if you like the 5020D with a CrystalView screen and other minor enhancements.

Editor in Chief http://www.bargainPDA.com and http://www.SPOTstop.com