Apple Mac Air or Sony X series ?

Im considering to get either a mac air or the Sony X series and currently i have a M15x alienware which is too heavy to carry around.

The sony X or mac air will be used to transport around since i travel alot.

Which will you guys recommend ?

Atom vs Core 2 Duo ?

Intel 500 vs Nvdia 320M ?


cheerssss

 

Well; are you looking for a Mac or PC?

What kind of performance do you want?

Is price a factor?

 

I don't think I could handle an Atom processor. Depends what you're looking for, I guess; "netbook" style or full notebook. I went for a Vaio Z because it's about as light as an Air (not as thin, but not bad, and very light), and it has even better specs which I think are important for my usage. I definitely wanted more screen resolution than the 11" air has, and even the 1600x900 vaioZ is more than the 13" MBA. Then again, it's quite a bit pricier too, and I was lucky enough to get it for less than full price.

My previous laptop was a Macbook and I was very happy with it, after 3.5yrs it's still working but starting to "fade" (soundcard broke, screen lost much of its contrast, touchpad is getting broken, etc.). I'm a bit disappointed with the Z because the sound quality is so bad, and it feels too flimsy; the Macbook seems more "all-around" reasonable, so perhaps I should have gone for a Macbook Pro. But the Z is noticeably lighter, and more powerful, and also my Macbook's hardware had a lot of trouble running Linux, which I use exclusively. The Z hardware is definitely problematic for Linux but a lot of ppl are working on making it better and it's working ok for now. I'm not sure how good linux support would be on the new MBAs.

If I were going for the 13" mba I'm not sure I could justify getting it instead of the macbook pro, tbh. And I'm not sure I could justify paying as much as a Sony X or an MBA for something as small as 11"; certainly not if it comes with an Atom processor. Just IMO.

 

If it's just strictly the Air vs. X, the Air wins by specs. I don't think the Atom processor is very powerful and that's why it is used in netbooks.

I would recommend the Vaio Z. It's almost as light as the Air but more powerful than the 15" Macbook Pro.

 

It depends on your needs really. It would be a tough choice for me because the X has got built in wwan which is a requirement for me.
The 13" MBA has better battery life than the 11.6" MBA but the X can obtain better battery life than the 11/6/13" models with the rather unconventional extended battery.
The MBA clearly wins by specs and may be only get the X if you need the features it offers and also demand the better batttery life.

I would suggest may be you take a look at the Sony Y series, with a i series UM processor the processor is much more powerful than the atom. The integrated graphics is much more powerful also than the GMA 500. It though might be a bit too heavy for your needs. The YA 11.6 model is rumored to be coming to the US.

 

Out of the two you ask about I would go with Air.

I played with both and the X is ssssllllloooooooooooooowwwww, I will get impatient and smash it.

 

ops i have no idea that ATOM is actually a damn slow cpu ....
so either ill go for MBA 11 or 13 later on then .....

and also i forgot im now using Sony Z as well but just feel like getttin a more lighter and more portable device since i travel around a lot


I didnt know X is such a failure product tho ...... thanks guys

how about u guys u have any idea that is Z heavier or the MBA ?


cheers

Brian

 

The specs are out there in terms of which is lighter. But if you already have a Z and you're looking for something even more portable, the 11" Air may be the way to go. It can certainly do more heavy lifting when compared to the X, and it weighs 2.3lbs. The X with the standard battery weighs 1.6lbs and the Z depending on model is between 3.01-3.4lbs.

 

don't forget about the thinkpad X series, they are worth a look.

 

I've actually considered this very thing.

The issue with the Z + 11" Air is that:

Realistically speaking, you're looking at a ~3.5 hour battery life with the Air. Yes I know - there are loads of reviews claiming higher out there but these are done by fanbois (yes, many prominent publications included) who test to hit Apple's advertised runtimes, even to the extend of running tests specifically without Flash (a sure sign they've bought into Applezombieism hook, line and sinker) and not real-life use. Especially in OS X - which posts fantastic runtimes in idle, once you start actually using the thing runtime plummets. So for me, given that you can't fit an extended battery I'd need to travel with one of my HyperMac batteries to have all-day runtime (and I would postulate that the point of a superlight machine is that it is your all-day companion) that equates to 3lb all-up weight - pointless.

And to me the weight difference is not worthwhile, given the Air's attributes, even if a ~3.5 hour runtime is acceptable. You're talking about the weight of a coke can as the difference. A sub-800g notebook - for the weight difference of significantly more than a coke bottle - would be worthwhile - which puts the X into contention, but as an Atom machine it isn't worthwhile IMO either.

I opted to stick with the Z, and to start refreshing my 13-inch Air's with the same - to see if the runtime in real-life use is better (it is, but not by much - I still need my 1lb HyperMacs to match even the standard-cell Z's real-life runtime). No plans to purchase the 11-inch.

I'm just hoping Sony has something more enticing up it's sleeve as the X's replacement.

 

if you are using it for browsing the web, doing mails and some office stuff - i would prefer the X. If you want to watch Videos and playing games go for another one. The X gots a nice fast SSD and a fast and superior OS than the Apple device. If you are looking for a heavy multitasking machine, dont get the X, but for usual Surfing/Office VPN Remotedeskop/Terminalserver the X is perfect - at least for me. Btw. its a really nice piece of hardware manufactured in Japan not China.
Btw. use MS Security Essentials its really performance gently.

 

As soneone who has sony VGN-Z11, now VPC-Z13 (i7), and also Apple Macbook Air 13" and a Sony P with Atom, I can say that:

Even the Z13 feels HUGE compared to the Air 11".

MBA feels faster than anything I have had previously, when using non-cpu intensive stuff like emails (Office 2011), surfing, switching apps.
Obviously if you want to encode a video, the Z13 whips .

I have used the MBA 11 as my "main machine" for all general tasks since I got it 2 weeks ago, which was just 2 weeks after buying the Z13.

The Sony P wil be going on ebay soon. Its almost unusable slow, IMO, compared to the other machines.

My £0.02

 

Just to add, I am not an Apple Fan-boy, the MBA 11" is my very first venture into Apple. And I am fortunate enought to be able to always own 2 machines.

oh, and I EASILY get > 4 hours battery if I am just surfing, writing, emailing, except when watching videos.

I thought the Z would be my take everywhere PC (esp with its 256G SSD and 750GB HDD), but the form factor of the MBA with sufficient power for office work makes it irresistable.

Sorry, I know we were comparing X-Series with MBA, but really, X-Series in my experience (which is only a few shop visits) is way way way slower than the similair form factor MBA.

Hope my thoughts are of use.
Phil.

 

Which Atom Model do you have in your Vaio P (the old 1,2Ghz Model)?
You cant compare Vaio P with 1,2Ghz and HDD with Vaio X 2Ghz and SSD, mostly the SSD does the tick when switching Applications and opening new ones and btw. if cpu load gets up the X gets clocked up to 2GhZ.
Btw. Office Outlook 2011 isnt comparable to Outlook 2010.
Thread opener, please go into a shop and test both devices, its all depending on your favoures.
But the main question should be, do you want a PC or a MAC?

 

Just to add:
I am a Sony and Microsoft Fanboy!!

 

If it's just MBA vs. Vaio X, then I would reluctantly say MBA.

I just put my Vaio X Signature Ed. on the Bay. It has the absolute best form factor ever (find me another notebook that you can slip into an 8.5x11 portfolio for office meetings!), but is ultimately a netbook at heart. I'm incredibly impatient, so after a while the sluggishness drove me nuts.

With respect to the Vaio X battery life, if you buy the L battery (not available in the U.S. for some inane reason), it is the perfect sweet spot. It's the same size as the S battery, i.e., doesn't stick out, but has double the capacity of the S battery. I would routinely keep both S and L batteries with me, which combined gave me 6 hours of runtime.

I am now awaiting the arrival of a Vaio Z11 from the Sony Outlet, which while being a slight compromise of size and weight over the Vaio X, should give me the performance I desire. Of course, we're not talking an inexpensive proposition, as even decently-specced refurb Zs will run you $1,600++ once tax is factored in.

Dang, I really love the size and weight of the X...

 

>But the main question should be, do you want a PC or a MAC?

Not sure i agree with that anymore. I have traditionally been a PC/Windows fan, but looked at the MBA with open mind because of its form factor and the fact it had a "real" mobile processor, rather than Atom, and SSD.

So I think you should decide "What do you want to do, and where, and when" rather than PC or MAC.

Those questions will dictate if PC/MAC/Typewriter is right for you.

yes, it is the original 1.3Ghz Sony P, with slooooow 1.8" HDD, so unfair comparison, granted.

I guess in summary I would suggest decide what you want, and at least take a look at that there MBA 11".
you could run Windows 7 on it, if you really wanted to, to run Office 2010 etc. I have not found it necessary, but my needs are my own.

 

The Air. Definitely the Air. I lusted after the X until I tried one. Hell, I'd still buy one if I could get it for $300. The problem with the X for me is the keyboard. It's sunken a bit into the case and every time I go for the space key, I hit the lip.

Regardless, the Air is easily a good Air competitor in terms of size. You really need to see one in person to get a feel for how close it is to a X. Luckily, I have a Sony Store and an Apple Store in the same shopping center so I can easily compare.

Specwise, there's no competition. The Air is head and shoulders better than the X.

 

I don't see this as a question at all. The Air can run Windows and it's not that hard to make a "PC" run OS X.

 

If you don't mind waiting a bit and price is an issue, maybe you will be interested in the Asus U36 that was just announced.

Spec:
10 hours battery.
Small and light: 19mm thick and weighs only 1.44 or 1.66 kilograms (conflicting sources)
13.3-inch display, 1366 x 768 pixels resolution.
Intel Core i5-460M CPU
NVIDIA GeForce 310M graphics with 1GB of memory with NVIDIA Optimus technology.
2GB of system RAM
500GB 7200RPM hard disk
HDMI output
one USB 3.0 port

This thing looks like Asus' attempt at making a VAIO Z, and I think it looks great.
ASUS announces ultraportable U36 laptop (updated with specs) -- Engadget
YouTube - ASUS U36 is the World's Thinnest Notebook with a Standard Voltage CPU

Pricing isn't really out yet, but according to Engadget they have seen a top MSRP of NT$41,900 ($1,375). Which is really darn good considering the spec this baby have. The i5-460M rapes the C2D the MBA have and don't even compare it to the Atom in the X...

I am not too sure about this but on the apple website it says that the MBA's Geforce 320M only have 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM... That's definitely not going to be enough for most current gen games. So does this mean it is much weaker than the Geforce 310M with 1GB of DDR3 SDRAM on the U36?(Please correct me if I am wrong) I have tried playing Starcraft 2 with the UL30Vt which have a similar GPU the Geforce 210M. It can handle medium settings with around 25-30 fps without over-clocking. I think you can upgrade the system RAM on the U36 too, so its not really a disadvantage compared to the MBA.

The size of this thing is really quite impressive too. At 19mm thick, it is much thinner than the VAIO Z! Not to mention its weight of 1.44 or 1.66kg. MBA: 1.32kg. VAIO Z: 1.38 kg.

Lastly the most important spec is the battery life. The U36 is suppose to last 10 freaking hours. I thought Asus like most laptop companies like to exaggerate their figures, but I was really surprise when I tested my UL30Vt's battery life. I indeed got 10+ hours of battery life in stamina mode.

If I was on the market for a light portable machine with some power when I need it (Optimus technology) this is definitely the way to go!