Pro 13 vs SVZ

Would anyone hazard a guess how gaming on the Pro 13 will be like compared to the SVZ i7 quad core?

 

Most games are more GPU-dependent than CPU-dependent. The Pro 13 has a much weaker CPU but better integrated graphics. So...maybe a wash?

That said, if gaming is even somewhat up your list of priorities, I'd get a Vaio S13 with a full-power CPU and an onboard GPU. It'll run circles around both while still being very portable and still being a Sony product.

 

I'd be more worried about the heat since the machine is super thin. But IMHO if you want to play any sort of game besides solitaire you're looking at the wrong machine.

 

Neither are ideal gaming machines, but since you asked which is best out of the two..... until we know for sure what CTO options the Pro will have we can't really make that call. If the best option ends up being HD 4400 graphics, I'd venture to say that the SVZ would be a better option even though the 4400 is a hair faster. The quad core in the svz has a higher TDP, so it would likely suffer less throttling, combine that with the extra cores. If you have a PMD and have games that play nice with the PMD, it's that much better.

If we get an option to upgrade the cpu to one with the HD5000, then the PRO should be the favorite despite the TDP and core disadvantage, because in the end, the gpu is more important.

The HD4000 isn't half bad, I can play Diablo 3, torchlight 2, guild wars 2, source games and a few others smoothly with Intel's latest drivers. Of course, it pales in comparison to my gaming desktop, but in a pinch, it's fat better than I expected.

My 3dmark11 score is about 720 on my svz while the entry level pro 13 gets about 600 according to laptopmag. While the CPU helps, I'm certain the Pro is suffering from throttling.

 

Portability is priority for me, so I wouldn't consider the S13.
I've been amazed by my SVZ how well it can play certain games (Skyrim, Diablo, Dirt 3), so I'm just curious if I can keep playing those games if I go Pro 13.

 

If S13 and 3.7lb isn't small, light and portable enough for you then i dunno anymore.

 

Uhm... I think the 1.1kg the SVZ weighs is considerably lighter than the 1.7kg of the S13. That's what I know. Not to mention how much thinner it is. And how much I hate optical media drives. So, no. No!

 

My Z2 has the thickness of the S13 base. When both Laptops are closed the Z is not THAT much thinner than the S13. Even think about: With the Z or the new Pro you get a light machine but NO self upgrade options!
Even you can extract the ODD in the S for saving some weight (approx 130g)

 

Having lived with the latest Z's for quite a while now I have come to accept that there won't be much to upgrade.
But since these kind of gadgets don't stay with me for much longer than 1 year anyway I'm not too fussed.