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    S170 pre-purchase questions.

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by spiderhole, Oct 2, 2004.

  1. spiderhole

    spiderhole Notebook Enthusiast

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    I'm seriously considering the purchase of a S170 series notebook, and wondering a few things...

    1. How does the S170 differ from the S150 in terms of the case, color, external ports, keyboard, etc? I have found local stores that carry the 150 and using that as a indicator of the size and appearance of the 170.

    2. Is the Bluetooth ugrade option when ordering a custom config from sonystyle.com an integrated chipset? I can possibly get an employee discount on some of the pre-config 170 models, but none of the sub $2500 ones have bluetooth. If I skip Sony's bluetooth upgrade, would an aftermarket PCMCIA bluetooth adapter be a good option? Do such cards stick out of the side or go in flush? What other PCMCIA are commonly added to modern laptops (trying to guess if I would regret giving up the slot for Bluetooth)

    3. Should I buy an extra Sony battery or look for an 3rd party replacement? Is it worth the extra $100 for the upgrade to the 3S3P battery?

    4. I'm planning to get it with 512mb (2x256) , pulling those out, replacing with 1gb (2x512) of aftermarket memory and selling the old modules. Are their any major caveats with buying/using 3rd party ram in these machines?

    5. Does the 9700 graphics chipset use more power than the 9600? Any reason NOT to opt for this upgrade?

    TIA
    -m
     
    spiderhole, Oct 2, 2004
    #1
  2. magic168

    magic168 Notebook Geek

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    1) They are the same exact case. Don't be folled by the model numbers. The S150 has in fact been discontinued and replaced by the S260, which again, is the same exact case. Just different specs.

    2) I direct you a LOOOONG post about bluetooth stickied at http://sony.thumbrocket.com -- you'll find info, part numbers, cost and guides on what to do.

    3) Beware that the battery upgrade (I am assuming you are not talking about buying a spare battery and you are talking about the extended battery) STICKS OUT. Yes, it sticks out about an inch further than the normal battery.

    4) No. Although if warranty issues come up, you'll have to swap them back in for Sony to even look at your machine.

    5) I think you mean the 9700 vs 9200. I haven;t heard anyone complain about the 9700 being a power hog.

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    magic168, Oct 2, 2004
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