Alternative to the new Z

Hi ppl,

i have been actively reading the forum for some time cos i have geared myself towards buying the new z. However, i might not be able to afford the highest end avaliable here in singapore that cost sgd4500 (117GG model). way too expensive.

I've been sourcing for alternative means of purchasing it such as buying from a diff country which is so much cheaper (say 600sgd cheaper for the same model) but unfortunately i seem to be out of luck as many places dont have the stock anymore. =(

Thus i have painfully been convincing myself that i might have to source for an alternative laptop to the z. there is the 116GG version of the Z but y deal with 2nd best and pay a premium yet unable to get the best?

I would like to declare that i know there is another forum titled "what notebook should i get" but i really rather hear from the sony z lovers and get their opinion on what's a possible alternative to the beautiful z they have.

i like the backlit keyboard, i like the 13.1", the graphics, the light weight.
any help guys? really much appreciated.

ps. was considering the S series too.. u think?

 

Buy a lower end Z model or CTO a machine that fits within your budget.

I own the new S as well as the new Z which I received last week. I plan to sell the S as it's not in the same league as the Z despite being a very good laptop in its own right.

 

unfortunately there's no CTO in singapore.. the only model worth considering for the new Z is either the 116GG or the 117GG..

These are the only 3 models avaliable in singapore:
http://www.sony.com.sg/product/Comp...s=VPCZ117GG&models=VPCZ116GG&models=VPCZ115GG

I would have settled for the 116GG like i said. But my neighbouring countries are selling the 117GG for the price of singapore's 116GG.. the unfairness.. sigh..

 

Hmm thanks to the weak dollars

 

I got a 116 but regretted.. ended up selling it at a loss and got the 117... main reason is 128 Gb SSD is simply not enuff...

secondary reasons are:- 1) better CPU, 2) better screen (Full HD), more RAM (8 Gb) , so i couldn't but joined the Dark Side...

 

Is the i7 really a great increase from the i5? i would think the most impt bit is the 128gb ssd is pretty small.. so does anyone has any recommendations?

 

No. Most people who do day-to-day tasks won’t notice the difference between the i7 & the i5. I think the i7 is only a necessity for power users and even then it’s not a significant advancement over the i5-540 for example.

 

I also found 128GB too small for me so I went for the 256GB.

 

i7 and 1920 screen does it for me. Those are two things that aren't really user upgradable.

You might want to check out the Acer 3820T which is available through student programs right now. It actually has a better video card

 

yea, i heard of this acer 3820T but i dont think its out yet right? It is, however, an acer. =\ guess i have to make do with it if i have to. Anybody got news on this new acer?

 

I've been reading the forums for that particular acer because I too was interested. Some things that have popped up recently in the forums include:

- Some individuals disliking the way the keyboard keys wobble when typing
- Poor contrast levels of the screen
- Glossiness (I don't like glossy screens lol)

And there are probably a little more but it has had limited release thus far. The thing about the Acer is that it IS a great deal. More affordable than the Z and the GPU is significantly faster.

The reason why I chose the Z is because knowing that this will be my main pc, I will be spending hours and hours on it. This basically means i'd rather invest in a nice comfortable keyboard, a screen that doesn't reflect or glare, an internal ODD, and lightweight.

If you can wait, I say wait til more people get their hands on the Acer and then decide. They are both very good competitors.

 

well, i wont expect the same kinda quality from acer.. its 2k cheaper! haha. so i think the pointers u mentioned are very well excused for a 2k discount.

Just waiting for singapore to have it so i can go take a look.. hopefully soon.. i need to get it in about a mth or 2s time.

 

Hey Pals,

It's available in Singapore and Europe. In Singapore though I heard you can only buy it through the student program right now.

The build is actually pretty darn nice. My goal is to buy the Z on my Asia trip but if I can't find the one I want there I have no problems buying the Acer 3820T if it's available.

The screen is not the quality of the sony but to be honest not many laptops are and i would say 0 are for that price. Benchmarks wise the GPU is very strong.

 

Its available in singapore? where did you find that from? you've got a link or sth? thanks!

 

Hey Pals.

Send a message to Arclord. He bought one already and this is what he told me

"About Sing $1600+. Don't think it is available in stores yet. I got it through the school notebook scheme."

BTW we seem to be looking at the exact same laptops and buying around the same time maybe we can swing a deal with the Sony guy to buy 2 if he gets them in stock

 

haha.. i highly doubt there is the stock for the sony model we want =P
now, how do i pm Arclord? =\

 

Click on Private message under your name on the top right to get into that control panel area, click on send new message and just type in his name. it'll find it.