Less Expensive "Premium" SZ model?

I'll like to get a small, light laptop that allows me to use a Broadband card. Built in Broadband access would be nice, but as long as I can add a card I'll be fine.

The Vaio TX models are certainly small & light enough, but I'm concerned the screen will be too small for my eyes (especially with its higher resolution).

I can get a Dell XPS M1210 for a fantastic price (thanks to coupons and EPP deals), but it's a tad on the heavy side for a compact laptop.

That brings me to the Vaio SZ series. I'd prefer to get a Premium model due to the lighter weight and better screen... but I'd rather not spend a fortune.

So, which "less expensive" Premium SZ model do you guys recommend? BTW, it's fine if it has XP instead of Vista. In fact, I might actually prefer that.

Thanks for your help...

 

Hmm, I just realized that my question might not make sense.

I'm looking for the least expensive Premium SZ that is still available for sale (new). I'm not sure which ones are premium and which aren't -- nor do I know which SZs are recommended and which might not be.

Thanks again...

 

The regular SZs (x40 and below) are not that much heavier than the premium SZs (x50 and up). Go with the 3=x series if you want xp.

 

By "Premium" do you mean the models with LED backlit screens?

 

Yes, exactly. I've read that they are better screens. True?

Also, any SZ models in particular you guys recommend over another?

Thanks!

 

Oh, one more question:

Do any SZ models have built in Broadband cards, like the TXN models have? (such as Cingular 3G or Sprint EVDO, etc.)

 

Yes, they do, but I think they are still stuck to Cingular's EDGE no?

 

Yes, the LED backlit screens are thinner, colors are more "vibrant" and black levels are much better. I believe the SZ series can come with Cingular EDGE cards or Sprint EVDO. EDGE isn't very fast, it's a 2.5G technology. Cingular's 3G technology is UMTS/HSDPA. Sprint's EVDO on the other hand is very fast. The cards in the latest TXNs use Sprint's EVDO Rev.A network which is the latest revision of their data network.

 

This would be great. Any of the SZs have this that you know of? I couldn't find any.

 

BTW, how can you tell which SZ models are "Premium" (with the LED backlit screen)? What is the designator (or whatever) for Premium?

 

All Sz's except for the SZ430 and SZ440 are Premium.

 

Really? All of them? (are you sure?)

 

I believe that anything carbon has the backlit LED... it would be nice that instead of emphasizing "premium" they emphasized the "LED backlighting" a little more (imho).

 

why arent you buying it directly from sony? then you can customize it. or is it cheaper at other places?

 

All SZ's in the 4 series.

 

I see. Thanks.

 

Go to
http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INT...VAIONotebookComputers_SZSeries&Dept=computers

Select VGN-SZ480 cutomermizable note book is $1895.00 with free shipping.

I recommend T7200 (+$150) and 2GB ram (+$25 for limited time offer).

 

3G IMHO is just as fast as Rev. A; I own a Cingular 3G PCMCIA card (not built into my laptop). It's just that Sony hasn't put it into their own laptops due to the fact Sony Ericsson is just coming out with a 3G card.

Honestly, it's better to get something external (IMHO) so that you can use it in more than one computer and is a bit more future proof. You can, assuming you can take your machine apart without breaking it, replace the PCI-e card with one that does support 3G.

 

There's no way EDGE is as fast as EVDO. Even Cingular's UMTS service (which is supposed to be faster than EDGE) wasn't as fast as Sprint's EVDO Rev.0 (which is the revision that came before EVDO Rev. A).

I know because I tried Cingular's data plan with a couple of my other notebooks. EDGE and even UMTS are nowhere as fast as even EVDO Rev. 0.

Maybe if they had an HSDPA card, it would be as fast, but even their HSDPA network is pretty small right now.

 

Er, that was my point. Cingular 3G = HSDPA. That's what I have. The internal card is EDGE only. And you're incorrect. I get 3G service everywhere I've travelled with my OptionMax GT card (small and big) - their 3G network is everywhere.

 

Ah ok. HSDPA is pretty fast, but not as fast as EVDO Rev.A (I can verify this from testing with 2Wire and broadbandreport's speed test). One big problem I've noticed with HSDPA is that speeds go down the more people in the area are using it.

 

Really? Is this true?

 

Why don't you do some research. Here's a good starting place:

http://www.google.com/

 

Hmmm, interesting site. I'll try it.

Thanks for the tip!

 

If you look purely at specs, maybe. But look at usage and what people are actually getting.

http://gigaom.com/2006/11/19/ev-do-vs-wcdma-who’s-ahead/
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?referrerid=295219&t=970507

One quote:

So don't go by theory. Go by reality.

 

Okay, I did some research. Anyone familiar with this:

http://business.cingular.com/businesscenter/pciexpress/

 

With Sprint's EVDO Rev. A, I'm getting very fast service (higher than what you quoted for HSDPA). I told you already, this is from my experience, not theory. Also, as I mentioned, HSDPA's speed goes down the more people in the your area are using it.

 

Hey, this is not correct. With all the SZ machines there is a light grey 'magnesium' model that weighs a bit more and is not premium...

Then you have a dark grey carbon fibre model which is 100grams ish lighter and has the backlit screen. This dark grey model has a premium version with a special type of carbon fibre... not sure about the other differences but it is not correct to say that 'all' SZ4's are premium because there is a magnesium SZ4.

And to be fair, that information is pretty obvious if you just look at sony's website

 

WOW!!! There is a lot of bad information in this thread. Should we just toss it now and start the thing over?

 

Rebadged card. AT&T/Cingular's first Expresscard.

 

One of the threads I linked basically had the same experience - some had better with HSDPA, some Rev. A. The download speeds are about the same give or take. Uploads seem to be the sticky wicket with 3G HSDPA from Cingular, but I don't do much uploading.

Your experience and my experience are just that: our experiences. I don't think you'll ever get to a definitive answer. BOth technologies lap standard EV-DO or EDGE/GSM.

 

Hmmm...so you're saying there are actually 3 tiers of the SZ? Regular magnesium, carbon fibre and "premium" carbon fibre? On Sony's website I only see the regular (magnesium) and premium (carbon fibre).