FINAL decision!! Asus or Sony? Need help!

Ok I've been on these forums for a couple of months now, gathering information on the Asus W3V and Sony S5M laptops.

I am going to purchase one of the two today or tomorrow, so I need some last minute advice first.

The differences

Weight: Asus W3V is 2.45Kg, Sony S5M is 2.0Kg
Screen: Asus W3V has 14" screen, Sony S5M has 13.3" screen
Processor: Asus W3V has 1.86Ghz, Sony S5M has 1.73Ghz
Bluetooth: Asus W3V has it, Sony S5M does not

I am a college attender who wants to use the laptop in lessons, including microsoft office applications, and also want to do gaming on it (games like Battlefield 2) not neccesarily on the HIGHest settings, but medium.

It needs to be portable so I can take it on the train, but is the Asus's extra weight really much of a difference?

What are the battery lives like on them?

Vote now and please expand on your answers!!!

:decision:

 

That is a tough call - it all comes down to how much weight you want to carry around. The Asus is really a better built machine and has better service, but an extra pound/half kg is noticeable if you are hauling the laptop around with you a lot. Still, if you are just walking to classes that are fairly close and mostly just sitting on the train it probably isn't that big of a deal, but if you are carrying it around with you for the better part of the day the weight will start to matter.

Personally I would put my vote in for the Asus, because it is a better machine and will stand up to the rigors of college life better than the Sony, but the Sony isn't a bad machine either, and would run a close second.

 

Thank you for that, that was very helpful

 

i concur..
if u carry ard everyday.. go for sony. iof u r that type that brings out once in a while and don't mind abit of weight.. asus go for it it's more solidly built alebit not that much compared to sony which is pretty good built too..
the pnly thing is everyone else might be using an ASUS so if u use a sony u might stand out..
this pt might not be relevant to some ppl but I know many who mind.. at least for me, I don't like using mass market pc... something that stands out or can differentiate me from the rest wld be good.. what abt u ?

 

the sony s580 has optional bluetooth for around 30 more by the way and the asus is about 1lb heavier.

 

The Sony has MUCH better specifications, but is it built as well as the Asus? The Sony is cheaper than the Asus, but is the Asus better overall?

 

I would vote Asus.

 

The Asus W3V is the one with the usb slots placed next to the laptop lock.
Check this review:
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2625
Unless you don't lock your laptop, then you can disregard it.

 

The W3V is on all the photos dude.

 

we can only help.. but u should be familiar with both machines when u r making up ur mind. ultimately u r going to use it for a long time, so the decision has to come from u .. otherwise u will regret it.
both r just as good IMO. There's really nothing wrong going with either one.. but if im not wrong sony has a better gpu?

 

The Sony S-series comes with an optional Nvidia GeForce 6400 Go with Turbocache, so yes, it does come with a dedicated VCard. However, it would be equal or just slightly weaker/more powerful as the W3V's X600 card. I personally would go with the Asus. The 14" screen will really come in handy while taking notes in class/trying to write papers/play games on than the Sony's 13.3" screen. About portability:Unless your an ultra road warrior, the Asus should be just fine for you, as it features better build quality than the Sony does.

 

My vote: Sony

Mobilitiy is very important to me as I frequently take my noteboook to university from home. I ordered both the W3V and the Sony S to help me decide which to take, but returned the Asus. Why? The weight difference is substantial. You can get a thin 15 inch Notebook for that weight. The screen size difference is IMHO not an issue, furthermore the Asus screen reflected quite a bit more than the balanced Sony screen.

Are you sure you can't get a bluetooth option for the Sony? It is a nifty gadget sometimes to send smaller files to your own/friends cellphones.

But I guess you won't be dissapointed whichever you choose, I think in order to make an ultimate decision you have to have tested both and then see which one fits your needs better.

 

I had the same debate as you and I went with a Sony S580 for its lighter weight. I've had mine for about 2 weeks now and I'm loving it so far.

Taking it to class has been a joy. My statistics professor demonstrates a lot of things in Excel. My school has wireless so downloading his examples and taking notes in class is quick and easy.

I've also been able to stay productive while waiting for my classes to start. I suffer from carpal tunnel but when I wrote my 10 page final term paper last week on my Sony, I didn't feel any pain. My only complaint is that the laptop can get a little warm while on my lap. I think its because I'm blocking the front vents while it's on my lap.

I just finished my statistics case study a couple ago. I estimate that it took me about 20 hours. I was worried about Eye strain because I usually use a 20 inch LCD at work. To my surprise, my eyes have been fine with the 13 inch screen.

I haven't done any gaming on this laptop since its finals week. I'll post again when I try out World of Warcraft on this laptop. I hope this helps.