Old Sony or Inegrated Graphics

Help from the Forum,

I need a new laptop, but since I am stationed in Germany, I can't run down to the store and shop around (they don't have superstores in the American sense).

I need a very portable laptop (less than 5lbs, 12.1 - 13.3" screen, built in optical drive) that I can carry around with me. After extensive research, I have narrowed it down to two models.

#1 Sony V505E ($1300)
1.5M (banias)
528mb
DVD-R
12.1" w/ ATI 9200 32mb
60G

#2 Fujitsu S6231 (~$1800)
1.7 (dothan)
768mb
DVD+-R
60G
13.3"

I really don't play a ton of games, but I would love to be able to play KOTOR II on it. I have always been afraid of integrated graphics, and for $500 more the Fujitsu scares me, but it is perfect in every other respect. On the other hand, I am afraid of the lower battery life of the V505. The Sony S-series has the perfect specs, but it is too wide for my taste.

If anybody has actually played 3D games on either of these laptops, let me know how they played.

Anybody have any hard knowledge on the Fujitsu S6XXX Sonomas? They may be the answer to my problem.




Oh yea, I am replacing a very old Z505LS (PIII 750Mhz). This old laptop is the PERFECT size, and I love the construction, but it is a little long in the tooth.

 

Here is the official supported video card for KOTOR II:
http://support.lucasarts.com/tsg/SWKotORIIQuestions/Video%20Issues/SupportedVCL.htm

As it requires Hardware T&L, I think you can kiss the integrated video card in Fujitsu good bye. Even the Sonoma video chip is kind of weak in that regard. I would recommend you to go with the S360 available in amazon.com for $1650 after rebate ($1900-$150 Amazon MIR-$100 Sony MIR, no tax, no shipping). The link to Sony rebate is:

http://www.sonystyle.com/intershoproot/eCS/Store/en/documents/rebates/VGNS360%20$100.pdf

 

@LongDistance:
I don't know what exactly your expectations of an american style superstore are, but i know for sure if you head into the nearest MediaMarkt or Saturn you'll find all major brands in exhibition...

UloPe

 

UloPe,

I have been to three different MediaMarkts in the Frnakfurt/Hanau area as well as the Saturn in Hanau. Not one sub-notebook in any of them! Of the notebooks that they did have, over half were generic brands. The only major brand carried by Saturn was Toshiba. I miss the BIG stores like Fry's and CompUSA.

 

Hm you seem to have a point there.
Yesterday i was in the MediaMarkt Wiesbaden where they used to have at least 40 Notebooks (including 5-10 subnotebooks) on display but yesterday they only had about 6 or 7 there. Seems they either ran into a sort of shortage or they are selling well enough even without all models on display....

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by LongDistance