Questions for F&AW owners/GPU enthusiast from a prospective buyer

I've been comparing the new FW equipped with an hd 4650 and the current AW and am quite torn. I've assembled a few questions to help me figure out which model suits me best. I intend to replace my desktop which I primarily use as a multimedia and gaming am willing to settle for the FW's 16.4 inches only if the 4650 places its performance well over the AW's. Please answer whatever you can. Thank you.


1.) Is there still any risk involved with the 9xxxM series (specifically the 9600m gt)?

2.) Are benchmarks for the 9600m gt reliable/universal (or would the AW's specs enhance its performace)?

3.) Given: P8700 2.53ghz, 4gb ddr2, 7200rpm hdd, and 1080 display in both; is the hd 4650 of the new FW worth the loss of 2" and the sleek build of the AW equipped with the 9600m?

4.) Is the above config suitable for adobe's cs4 products, orange box, ut3, sixth gen console emulators, and occasionally wow all in high settings?

5.) I'm considering upgrading to the T9550 (2.66GHz w/ 6mb Cache) ready model from newegg for a very similar price. Would this difference be negligible or will it give me a noticeable performance boost in any of the applications/games listed in #4?

6.) Will the 9600m likely be replaced in a new model by the end of summer?

7.) If I'm unhappy with the condition of a refurbished notebook, am I granted a grace period for a return/exchange (as in the 30-day with new notebooks)?

8.) Are there any known & tested drivers availible to boost the 9600m's performance to anywhere near the 4650's caliber?

9.) Is the 9600m by any chance replaceable (based on size and whether its soldered or not)?

10.) I'm incredibly impressed by the design of the AW but will sadly not be able to see in person or play with it before purchase. I am quite particular about track pads and have an aversion to heavily ribbed or perferated ones. Essentially, how is the feel of the pad?


I'm hoping to make a decision and purchase within the next few weeks.

 

On the theory that Sony in Japan will have the most options available on the A series, I'd say that there it's not likely that the 9600M GT in the States is going to be refreshed: http://www.jp.sonystyle.com/Special/Computer/Vaio/A/index.html (If you scroll down on the page, you will find that the basic specs are given in English for each model.)

Even on the UK site which also has the third generation models up already ( http://vaio.sony.co.uk/view/ShowPro...B_cons&pageType=Models&category=VN+AW+Series), the graphics card remains the same. Perhaps a function of the availability of the RBG LED screen on this model which they have likely tested and developed in conjunction with the 9600?

In any case, as usual, there are trade-offs. The larger screen of the AW with the same resolution as the FW has obvious implications for the size of images and print as well.

Good luck with your decision!

 

P.S. While the AW3 series has not yet been reviewed at notebookcheck.net, the review of this model in the 2 series should give you an idea of its performance ( http://www.notebookcheck.net/Sony-Vaio-VGN-AW21XY-Q.16861.0.html). Note there are links to their sites comparing graphics cards and processors, etc.

Sorry for the second posting!

 

Thank you for the links. Since it doesn't look like the aw gpu will be replaced anytime soon I can now make a confident purchase. I'm also heavily influenced by its inclusion of an increasingly rare firewire port.