REVIEW: New SONY S15 vs HP DV6T

HP DV6T-7000 vs Sony S15 Specs - (HP Specs listed first):

CPU: i7-3610QM (2.3 – 3.3 GHz)
i5-3320M (2.6 – 3.3 GHz)

MEMORY: 4GB (12GB) DDR3 1333 Mhz
8GB DDR3 1600 MHz

DISPLAY: LED Matte Anti-glare 1080p (IPS?)
IPS Matte 1080p

VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce 650M 2GB
NIVIDIA GeForce 640LE 2GB

OPTICAL: Blu-Ray Burner (Tray)
Blu-Ray Burner (Slot)

AUDIO: Beats Audio & 4 Speakers
2 Basic (small) Speakers

BATTERY: 6 cell
6 cell

PRICE: $1098 (Total)
$1363 (Total including the Dock and a Free PS3)


So I’ve spent a little time with both the new ivy bridge versions of the Sony S15 and HP DV6T-7000 series notebooks.

Here is my quick review & comparison thus far:




- DISPLAY (Pics attached):
Both displays are excellent. As most know, Sony’s display uses IPS and I personally wasn’t bothered by any lack of “reds” issue if there is one. Viewing angels are excellent as well. While HP says it’s just using a regular 1080p LED display, you could swear this is an IPS display as well! Viewing angls are literally on par with the Sony which are also excellent.

With the same scenic wallpapers, the displays were almost indistinguishable. When I pulled up a plain white screen like Google’s homepage or Notepad, you can tell the Sony IPS whites are brighter and colors might be a TAD more saturated… but if you weren’t looking directly at both you wouldn’t be able to tell.

Both Displays are matte Anti-glare, however HP definitely has a better Matte finish to it. The Sony screen actually still ‘somewhat’ reflects light and images like a mirror, but nowhere NEAR like a Glossy screen would be. I think I would be fine with either screen but the fact I can tell the HP is much less reflective is nicer.

I played the same scenes from my Transformers Blu-Ray on both machines through POWER-DVD and for some odd reason the HP looked MUCH nicer. The Sony looked over saturated, too dark and even a touch grainier. Go figure!

*** Winner = Toss up! (Leaning towards HP)
While the Sony screen ‘seems’ to have ever so slightly more saturated colors and brighter whites, the HP is virtually identical AND has a better matte coating with less reflection. I’m pretty sure the HP is an IPS too. Can’t go wrong with either!





- PERFORMANCE - CPU, MEMORY, HARD DRIVE and VIDEO CARD:
With regards to CPU, I got the i5 for the Sony and i7 for the HP. I’m not going to run and specific tests as obviously the i7 will have better performance than the i5.

Memory wise, I got the Sony with 4GB but will max it out to 12GB if I keep it. The HP came with 8GB (which I might bump to 16 if I keep it). So the biggest difference here is that the Sony uses 1333 Mhz vs the HP has 1600 Mhz. Not sure if that’s a big jump, but its also nice I can go up to an even 16GB dual channel if I like.

As for the Hard Drive, I bought a Samsung 256GB SSD 830 drive that I will be throwing into the victor. However, I just happened to learn that Sony has some sort of a restriction that will keep the SATA II Samsung 830 running at SATA 2 speeds. While a hack may become available at some point, that is a major bummer seeing as the HP will run at SATA III 6GB no problem.

Despite not being a gamer at all, I got the 2GB NVIDIA 650M for the HP and the 2GB NVIDIA 640LE for the Sony. The HP has the better card although Sony does have the switch to go back and forth from Stamina to Speed to conserve battery.

As I said, since I don’t game, I’m not sure this will affect me personally either way as would any of the above component differences. However, it is nice to know you have the extra power under the hood if needed and in theory the computer is future proof for a little while longer.

*** Winner = HP





- AUDIO:
No contest here, the HP Beats and 4 Speaker system totally out perform the 2 tiny speakers Sony threw into the S15. Although, the S15 does have louder speakers than my Sony Z systems had in the past, so for general use they seem ok. Coming from an XPS 15 with JBL though Im spoiled, and while HP’s isn’t as good, its closer.

I was actually thinking of buying a nice compact portable speaker bar for traveling anyways (especially for the Sony) so its kinda of a mute topic as I also use headphones quite a bit as well on my systems too.

*** Winner = HP






OPTICAL DRIVE:
I opted for the Blu-Ray Burner in each system. The HP comes with the standard Tray load where the Sony uses a Slot-load. While the slot load is very cool in that it uses less moving parts, and allows for a thinner profile, Im not sure why I get the feeling it feels cheaper? It much noisier and seems chunkier in operation. Plus, I feel like I would be worried I’d be screwed if something broke or a disc got stuck. Tray loads always have that fail safe eject button.

*** Winner = HP (Albeit by personal preference)






TOUCHPAD:
As many of you have learned Sony went with a button-less but clickable touchpad for many of their new VAIOS. While I love the huge pad with extra space (supposedly designed with Windows 8 in mind) the fact there is no button takes a bit getting used to. I keep trying to press the area under the pad to click things. The pad is smooth and responsive and clicking works fine once you adapt. However, Im having trouble adapting... it can be frustrating.

The HP touch pad is also very nice, albeit smaller and has traditional clickable buttons which I liked quite a bit since Im used to them and they are MUCH better than the XPS 15 ones which I hated. I also like the fact there is a little area you can double tap in the upper left corner where you can turn the touchpad off when typing a lot. Very nice feature.

*** Winner = Toss Up! Much of this will depend on your preference of having actual physical buttons or not.







KEYBOARD: Both have very good keyboards, although since I came from an XPS 15, getting used to the off center layout will be something I need to do. Both are backlit island style and seem to be fairly responsive. The HP feels ever so slightly less mushy with more travel, but its so close its hard to tell.

*** Winner = Toss Up! (Leaning towards HP)







DIMENSIONS:
The Sony, at less than an Inch thick and 4.4 lbs is insanely light and portable for a 15.6” 1080p IPS laptop with top end components. It feels a tad flimsy though and doesn’t seem like it will take much absuse though, although the materials are supposedly much higher end than basic plastic.

The HP on the other hand is noticeably thicker (1.22” AND heavier at around 5.8 pounds. Its more in line with my old XPS 15. While I honestly don’t mind in the long run, I was hoping to slim down my Laptop this next go around so the Sony is very appealing here. Still the HP feels solidly and more substantially built with the brushed aluminum top and faceplate around the keyboard.

*** Winner = Sony






BATTERY:
I just finished a battery test where from fully charged I left both PCs on with IE on Google’s home page at full brightness. It wasn’t a scientific test by any means, but the HP actually lasted almost a full hour longer! Sony (on Speed Mode) lasted 4 Hours & 25 minutes while the HP went 5 Hours and 15 Minutes. I’m going to guess on Stamina mode though the Sony would last longer. Also, Im sure once the i7 and kicks in it would eat battery faster than the i5. Still, I was shocked the Sony dies first… maybe the screen is more power hungry?

*** Winner = HP. (Although your mileage may vary depending on what mode you are in and what you are doing)







PORTS & MISC:
All the systems have roughly the same ports, although the HP does have a USB 3.0 always on charging port which is nice to have to charge any cell phones, mp3 players, etc while the Laptop isn’t on.

HOWEVER the one big thing that the Sony has over the HP here is a docking port and docking station accessory. That is one thing I loved and missed about having my Sony Z. Being able to just pick up and go or drop in my laptop at a moments notice without dealing with several cables for Ethernet, Monitor, Keyboard/Mouse, Ext Hard Drive, Power, Audio, etc. For some, this isn’t an issue, but its something I love having the convenience of.

Not only that, the new Sony dock has a built in Hard Drive to do direct backups from the PC when docked… very suite. My plan was to throw the 640GB 7200rpm from the S15 in the dock to replace the 500GB 5400rpm they give you with the dock.

Now, I have read there is a really nice Universal 3.0 USB docking station for dual monitors with Power from Targus that I could use for the HP which would only require one USB 3.0 connection (although I may also have another cable for direct connect t to my monitor since I heard video still is just ok). Still I haven’t tried it so I don’t know.

I digress though, as in theory I could still technically dock with the HP, but it would be nice to have the Sony since its made for the S15 and the connection would be even more direct.

*** Winner = Sony (For my needs & wants)








OVERALL:
I’ve gotta tell you… I can go either way on this! I’m definitely struggling on which system to send back. Before I wrote this review I was positive I wanted to keep the Sony setup, but now I’m leaning towards the HP (Especially knowing there is a docking setup I can use that should work fine for my needs) Even without that dock, the HP just feels (and seems) like more computer for the money. Its either equal or slightly better in ALMOST every way.

I was thinking of waiting for the new XPS 15 but already heard the screen will be glossy Gorilla glass and do NOT want that.. I find glossy reflections very annoying.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this? Any and all advice or feedback is truly appreciated. I have 30 days to return the Sony and about 5 days to return the HP.

I’m interested in hearing what you all have to say and think!

Thanks for reading!

 

The Sony should be able to support 1600 mhz too.

Not sure about your battery test... but I believe the DV6T has optimus, so if you don't need the GPU it wouldnt kick in so the SVS15 probably should've won that one because you were running the DV6T with a iGPU whereas the Vaio was on discrete.

As for which one you should choose, it comes down to what you need, I'm seeing the choice you have to make here is:

The DV6T has more powerful components (productivity) but the Vaio is more portable (weight + batt life). Although, depending on what you use the laptop you might not need the increased GPU and CPU power.

 

Just so you know: the Beats Audio thing is a total gimmick. The HP might have good speakers but it's not due to the beats branding. It's essentially and equalizer, and like with the beats by dre headphones so many people get caught up in the marketing. it's really scary how deceived people quickly become.

 

It might support 1600 MHz, but whats soldered into the motherboard is 1333 Mhz so getting anything higher is pointless. Plus it maxes out at 12GB too, but I dont think that will be a biggy for the next few years. Im more concerned about the SATA II cap... Id like to have SATA 3 capability for my SATA 3 drive.

I agree though, it comes down to Portability and convenience versus having top performance.

Havent really tested heat issues yet either for which I heard HP has some, but only really when playing games.

Agreed... I just need to decide which is a priority at this point

 

Agree with you a bit on this one... the 4 speakers definitely makes the sound better for the HP. The Beats thing I do understand is more like a software like Equalizer. I have Beats on my HTC Rezound and to be honest it depends on the media playing. For some music it actually does improve it... for other stuff it can make it worse.

I noticed Sony has a little piece of Dolby Software that does the same thing if you want to toggle between movie and music modes as well.

Sound will NOT be a deciding factor for me as I mentioned above Im more than happy to get a nice little sound bar for when I travel or set up my laptop outside. For my room I usually pipe music through my headphones or surround system anyways.

Still a tough decision!

 

HKINGS - Is there any way you can send me your email address or order number from the Sony purchase? I am trying to get the 10% discount you received, but the rep I spoke to said they can only give me the discount if I can prove another person received it, and they said the screens you posted aren't good enough because they could have been Photoshopped.

 

Send me a PM and we can discuss further...

 

Another note:

The Webcam on the DV6T is much nicer too... better colors and not overly saturated and dark. Not sure what it is but it might have something to do with the screen since Blu-Rays looked better on the HP as well.

Also, the HP has a finger print reader (which I like)

Still debating...

 

Would you happen to know how many posts I need to have in order to be able to send PMs? I'm a long-time lurker but just signed up for an account today.

EDIT: Nevermind, figured it out.

 

HKings: I salute and thank you for the extensive and conscientious reviews. Though I have a soft spot for Sony - and they really seem to have stepped up with the entire SV series - more, faster stuff, same or lower prices - I think I have developed a resolute "it's-a-Z, or it's not a VAIO" attitude towards the brand. It's about quality - or lack of it - and support - or lack of it. I don't know if you had any support needs from Sony with the Z you owned. I have owned 3 Z's and have never needed Sony support, thank goodness! - but I imagine if you are an NBR Sony forum dweller you have read the horror stories. I know there are plenty of HP horror stories, and virtually any brand you pick, even "holier-than-thou" Apple and "enterprise grade" Lenovo, but I have always been attentive to this issue (paranoia, I guess!) and Sony has, in my view, worked very, very hard for many years to prove itself to be the computer company with the......... WORST service, the most hostile attitude towards customers and a policy of avoiding in-warranty responsibilities by blaming the customer for causing whatever is wrong with the computer.

Forgive a soapbox paragraph:

Companies like HP and Dell, though not known historically for producing top quality consumer laptops, have actually been steadily improving quality while they have entirely bridged any gap on performance or features (if the new XPS-15 didn't have a glossy screen, would we even be having this conversation - instead of HP vs. Dell?) with 1080p IPS matte screens, beautiful backlit keyboards, solid as rock chassis and audio as good as a compact home system, and they have also turned around their once abysmal support reputations-just read a couple of published surveys. Meanwhile Sony will push the envelope in one or two areas - eg, weight savings and styling - while they pick your pocket and fail in so many others and they can seduce you with design in to forgetting that your $1,400 SVS is indeed made of plastic - "carbon fiber" is, in this case, more about the cool finish than the tensile strength - has tinny little speakers, a dual core i5/nVidia 640 for a higher price than HP's Quad core i7 and 650/2GB VRAM and a screen that doesn't like to say "RED!" Oh, and did I mention their customer support is a nightmare?

Though the Sony brand still carries more panache, and the SVS15 is a sleek looking machine, it is just not likely to be designed or built as solidly as, well, pretty much any other brand, but definitely compared to HP which, in recent years, has really been producing physically and electronically robust laptops and I think even in your somewhat Sony-fault-tolerant review, the HP did win on points, especially given the lower price.

In the end, I believe you have a choice of performance, build quality and customer support vs. 1.4 lbs less weight and 0.25" less girth. A thought: Do you own a tablet? If not, consider getting the HP on merit and get a tablet. I am not a tablet devotee but you can't beat their portability and on an occasion or trip where I don't want to lug even my 3 lb Z + power brick, I find I can get by fine with the tablet, and maybe a USB keyboard. If you already own one, then I'd definitely go with the HP; you're covered when you need to travel light. If not, there are good Androids from $300 and up, and an iPad2 can be had for under $400. Though the difference in price between your HP and your Sony (as-configured) will not pay for a tablet, you could come away even if you "downsized" the HP config. to one which matches the Sony you have. I would guess even by going to a dual core i7 in the HP and drop down to 1GB VRAM, especially since you're not a gamer, and if you really equipped the HP as you have the Sony, you will open up a $350 or so gulf in price.

Can't really make a bad choice here, but I am putting myself in your place because I expect to be there soon (and to think, if the creaky plastic palm rests on my Z13 weren't driving me nuts, I'd easily get another year from it!) and I would face the same dilemmas and, ultimately, I think I would go with the DV6, which has to be the most improved DTR - and the best value - when, just a year ago, the best screen you could get on it was a crap-ola, no-contrast, no color, glossy 1366X768, no backlit keyboard, horrible clickpad and, of course, lesser performance, but that tide lifts all boats.

Oh, I just remembered, you didn't have to read any of the above: I wouldn't be caught dead buying a computer for over $1,000 that had a SATA II SSD bus. Get the HP.

 

Thanks for the kind words LoveLaptops. I think writing everything out also helps me make my decision in a weird psycological way... like putting my pros and cons on paper. Plus getting other users feedback helps as well.

Im typing on the HP DV6T right now, and must say I do like the Touchpad and keyboard much better than the Sony. Im torn on the screen since each has its pros and cons, but Im pretty happy with the HP's... plus I just feel Im getting more for my money with regards to all the components.

Like you, I too have a soft spot for Sony as Ive owned quite a few Z's over the years and my parents always buy Sonys too, and currently own a couple.

But I have heard the support horror stories and luckily I havent had to deal with any of that (I only tend to keep Laptops for 2 years at a time before upgrading anyways).

The Sony SVS15 is definitely a nice light machine and I do like that it has the dock, but the HP, as I mentioned just feels more solid and rugged. (Minus the Optical drive which seems to be loose).

I'm definitely leaning on keeping this system... although I still am holding out some interest in seeing what Dell offers on their new XPS 15.

HAHA, the SATA 2 thing is also a bit of a deal breaker as well... Im putting in a Samsung 830 or Crucial M4 SSD and want to take advatge of the SATA 3 speeds... which goes back to my liking of the HP being a bit more powerful with regards to CPU, MEMORY, and HARD DRIVE customizations.

I think now I have to find that Targus USB 3.0 Dock to complete my system purchase

I'll make my final decision on Monday or Tuesday of this week though....

 

Hi everyone!

how well they manage heat and stay cool? I'm not sure about the Vaio in this matters...

 

Amazing how a one line question can be more useful and relevant than a post by someone who just drones on and on to hear himself speak, lol.

So, HKINGS, how does the cooling compare? From what I've read of Ivy Bridge and Kepler processors, both tend to run cool.

 

Is the SATA II issue confirmed? I just bought this laptop and a Samsung 830 to put in it. That would really suck if it only gets SATA II speeds.

 

My S15 with Crucial M4 SATA III drive is running in SATA II mode, I can confirm that.

However, it is still very very fast.

I would have preferred SATA III, but seriously, there is not much real world difference to be seen in a laptop at 3GB/sec vs 6GB/sec transfer rate, nothing you'd notice without a benchmark test for the most part.

 

Thanks for the information. The ssd is already paid for, I might as well use it.

How fast are your boot times?

 

Just timed it...14 seconds from power on to desktop with widgets loaded. It was 90+ seconds to do that with the 5400RPM HDD. Also, about three seconds of that time to boot was in the BIOS post.

"Starting Windows" load screen has just enough time to draw four colored dots that haven't even started to animate before I'm at the "Welcome" screen and then on to my desktop a blink later.

Shutting down takes around 3-5 seconds to complete power-off depending on what I had open when I shut down. Resume from Rapid Wake is instant.

 

But but... i want a Free PS3.

 

Would love to see what the boot times are with Windows 8 installed. I'm getting about 14 seconds with my Toshiba MK5056GSY 7200 rpm 500GB HDD. I'm drooling already - time for an upgrade.

 

So far, with real world use the past few nights, I can honestly say that the Sony stays noticebly cooler than the HP does. Of course it must be re-noted the Sony is an i5 while the HP is an i7.

Ive used each the last 2 nights respectively for just email and web browsing and the HP definitely heated up more after about 2 hours of use. Of course this was done using the Sony on Stamina mode.

After using the Sony more, its also grown on me a little more. The screen really is nice and I like that it has slightly brighter whites (The extra bit of relections isnt bothering me much.

The keyboard Im getting used to as well, although I like the HP one better, as well as the HP touchpad. I think the biggest thing that Im having trouble adjusting to is the off center keyboard because of the numpad. (Coming from the XPS)

Still debating what to do... will make a decision soon!

 

It's actually about 8 seconds to desktop and me able to start working, but it's not quite settled down at that point, startup stuff is still loading/processing.

 

Is that a bare metal install or off a VHD (virtual hard disk)?

 

A clone of my original install and a misaligned one at that, with some of the bloatware removed.

 

I don't understand the argument about Vaio having worse keyboard and touchpad?

Is it because of your preferences or is it the quality? is there little travel? are they noisey? is there any flex? are the keys mushy? what exactly makes the Sony inferior?

im asking because I always assumed that Sony and Apple where the greats when it came to island style isolated laptop keyboards while Thinkpad was the king of the traditional laptop style keys.


As for the touchpad - everything is poo compared to apple right? but someone told me that Microsoft has done massive re-tooling of certain touchpad drivers (maybe related to multi touch?) in windows 8!
Regardless if your using win7 or 8, have you tinkered with the touchpad? is it synaps? rarely people are optimistic about touchpad that are not on macbooks. I dont really understand myself why apples are so good!

Microsoft also claims that the battery is much much improved in windows 8 for laptops!

 

would really be cool if you could run some CPU and GPU benchmark software just to test out the temps when under load and post back with that... lot of times these laptops are fine until you actually stress them, then they turn into flaming bricks lol.

 

Thanks for all the great info in your reviews thus far. I was wondering if you could comment on the fan noise please? I used the SB model and it got quite loud when pushed. I was hoping IB might lessen the load and the fan noise a bit.

Thanks very much.

 

My comments on the Sony keyboard and trackpad vs the HP have to do with preference, not quality. Both are very high quality on both systems. The HP keyboard definitely has more travel and is less "mushy" then the HP. The HP has a more solid feel (that was more similar to my old XPS 15 that had a great keyboard.)

The trackpad on the Sony is nice since it's so big due to making it all clickable. But the fact it is clickable is totally throwing me off. My fingers keep searching for the buttons bellow the track pad when operating, and its driving me crazy, haha! Call me crazy, but I like the buttons on the HP (especially vs the old XPS 15) as they are firm and have very little travel distance... its an easy click. THe Sony click pad seems to require a harder press then the HP.

Again, these are all things I could live with, but its just more comfortable to use for my preference.

Also, this might sound crazy too, but after using both laptops extensively last night, the HP screen seems superior to me as well. Colors seem more natural and it just seems "crisper" and easier on the eyes.

Ive never done this before but happy to do so. What free programs do you recommend. I will download and test them out for you guys.

The Sony was very quiet and I didnt notice fan noise at all... of course I wasnt pushing the system too much either. Same goes for the HP. In fact, I noticed the HP stayed just as cool as the Sony last night during regular use. In addition, the HP battery life is still superior to the Sony as well... and that's with an i7. Still getting an hour more per charge. Crazy!

Unless anything changes, I think I will being going with the HP. Don't get me wrong though, the Sony S15 is an awesome machine and super light! Id be keeping without hesitation if the HP just didn't seem to "fit" me and my preferences better (not to mention a great value for the money). Im ok with the slight extra thickness and weight... still slimmer and lighter than the old XPS 15 I had so Im ok with it.

Hope all this helps!

 

Thanks for the reply. If you get really bored, would you consider playing 90 videos or whatever it might take to get the fan going, and then comment on the noise? Sorry, I am aware you are not my employee Much appreciated.

 

The huge size on Apple's touchpad certain helps, although the newer Windows laptops have matched it in size, such as the S15 and the Samsung 9, the thing about the Apple touchpad is that it is very responsive and precise. When doing two finger scroll, you can scroll one pixel at a time, as slowly as you want. Or if you want to reach the end of the page FAST, and quick swipe gets you there instantly. Scrolling in Windows is either too fast or too slow and very imprecise. The chiral scrolling on Alps and Synaptics is the next best thing on Windows as far as having some control on scrolling speed.

How about this trick, say you want to go back or forward in your browser while scrolling, no problem - just swipe left or right, you don't even have to lift your fingers off the touchpad from the scrolling motion!

I don't know if it's something with Windows at the OS level but you can't scroll a single pixel, might explain the imprecise feel.

My S15 will be here Thursday. I am relieved that it's a Synaptics pad as opposed to Alps, but I'm not expecting it to be anything like the Apple touchpad.

 

Even the Apple touchpad sort of sucks in Windows.

 

Sorry to be a bother; I'd like to know more about the 10% discount you received too, but I seem to be unable to send a PM.

 

Wprime for the CPU and then 3Dmark vantage/11/06 for the GPU. PCmark for the overall system. you should be able to get the basic versions for free.

 

Haha. FOTF LMAO.

Let this man enjoy his machine and make his life-or-death decision in peace. In fairness, you can get all the data you need on benchmarks with these component sets on notebookcheck.net. After correcting for SSD yes/no, any notebook with a given cpu and gpu will perform about the same. notebookcheck.net has detailed benchmarks on each cpu and each gpu and then they show you lists of actual machines they've tested with each. Admittedly, the # notebooks they've tested with IB is limited, but you can easily get a feel for those basic benchmarks.

HK, Thank you! You have advanced the state of knowledge considerably. My advice: try not to weenie out and go with the Sony because it's weight and styling are so dam seductive! They'll take your money and they'll treat you bad! Seriously, I would feel the same as you. If you're still on the fence, consider this: the Sony is not as durable, this we know. My Z has lived a charmed life - use it in my home and office and haven't traveled much for the time I've had it, so it is pretty much like new. But I put it inside a Sony neoprene sleeve that had a poorly located zipper base and it actually dented the barrel hinge from being packed extremely tightly and pressing up against the end of the zipper on the inside. They're not built to be rugged; probably handle a drop as well, or badly, as the HP, but rub your metal watch bracelet on it and you will get a scratch to remember it by.

Sony's are more for stay-at-home, travel by car, cross your fingers.

 

So true. Mine is scratched from the trauma of being put in and out of the Sony supplied carrying case.

Good point about the benchmarks, except for the heating and fan noise issues which are unique to each model.

 

oh im not to concerned with the actual numbers the benchmarks spit out... just how the chasis handles the heat. When i actually get time to game (pretty rare occurrence) its normally in 2-3 hour segments so im just kinda feeling around to see if the S15 could handle that without turning into some McDonalds coffee skin melter.

 

Hey LoveLaptops... well I've made my life and death decision, and I'm going to be going with the HP Thanks for your input and feedback as well. It was definitely one of the factors that went into my decision. I remember all my years with the Vaio and having to baby the thing to keep it in prime condition. Witht he HP, I feel like I don't have to worry about that as much.

But most importantly, I feel is just does everything a little better and with better performance and upgrade-ability to boot. I was just more comfortable using it.

I'm throwing in the Samsung 830 SSD and (hope) to get the full Sata III speeds, along with upgrading the WiFi card to the 6235 Intel with Dual Channel & antenna with Bluetooth 4.0, along with bumping up the memory to 16 GB PC3-12800 just to future proof it since memory is so cheap right now.

The only other thing that has me on the verge of even returning the DV6T is the HP M6:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-pavilion-notebooks/661746-now-available-videos-pavilion-m6-pre-built-notebooks.html#

It looks like its kind of like the DV6T on a diet...slimmer and lighter with 'potentially similar specs. If it was offered with the same IPS screen as DV6T, it would be tempting. Kinda like having your cake and eating it too!

 

Not sure, but I think that's a budget model - though with decent specs and screen - but is likely to have fewer user-upgrade/install parts and almost definitely will have RAM capped at 6GB and almost sure no quad core cpu. They seem to be promoting them mostly with AMD cpus for low end but high perceived value. You are used to high performance machines and I don't think you will be happy with the highest spec version of this.

But I'm being lazy and not doing all the research, so if you can configure it close to your DV6, it's worth a look. One thing I do worry about is HP and thin laptops; they're not known for their cooling systems They do fairly well with the Folio 13 but it has a ULV cpu and no discret gpu.

Well, now you have to post back about this!

 

Well from my research both the Sony and HP turns out to be pretty much the same thing. When ordering from hp website, I can get it at 1059.99 USD + tax, while the sony costs 1150 USD + tax (get a free ps3 and sell for $200). Both have good graphics, 650M in HP vs 640LE. However the main thing would be battery life and weight. HP has around 5:30 with the 6 cell, while Sony has 4:30 without sheet battery, however the Sony is ever so light, only 4.4lb compared to 5.8 in the HP. When you buy the slice battery for the sony though, it should bump it up to around the HP weight, but then it will have better battery life around 7 hours... Another thing to keep in mind is the SATA II cap for Sony (hopefully might be fixed soon).
Anyways, ive been having this dilemma for a long time now, and still dont know what to purchase. Based on looks and such, I think I would still get the Sony, just because its lighter and fits me for my college use.

 

Don't be too hard on yourself; there are more and more excellent products out at very reasonable prices though as always, one will have features the other lacks and vice-versa. The main things against the Sony are its durability (light weight = less solid), the slight color inaccuracy of the otherwise wonderful IPS screen (see many threads about "orangegate" in both Sony and HP Envy 15 forums; this will be a total deal killer for some and you should see it before making the decision, though there are many photos and videos around to show you the difference) and Sony's less than positive customer support. I raise these first because otherwise the weight, battery life (with slice - still lighter than the Hp), upgradeability and styling give the not to the Sony. On the other hand, the HP will be more powerful - especially graphics - for the price, definitely better customer support - they will almost always replace a "lemon" even after the return date and they are just more friendly and supportive - and, if you watch sales, coupons, etc carefully, you will find amazing deals on HPs, though the free PSP will equalize that somewhat, assuming you either want one or could sell it to reduce the effective price paid.

So, I can see I haven't helped you at all! I hope I've at least brought what I think to be the major differentiators into focus. Good luck.

 

Hi all,

I'm currently in the market for a new laptop and am interested in buying the sony svs15 series. But I heard that the new Windows 8 will be out in October and am wondering if I should wait or take advantage of the $100 off from Sony now.

Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.

 

It will only cost you $15 to upgrade to Windows 8 if you buy a laptop now with W7, so you're $85 ahead, all other things being equal. That's not an endorsement of the purchase - nor a critique of it - but it's the financial reality.