Sony Vaio FZ-190 vs Dell Inspirion 1420

I have a Sony FZ-190... and they have the WORST customer service I ever encountered.

However the machine I got is loaded up.... 4 GB RAM, Blu Ray, 250 GB Hard Drive (allbeit it will be slow at 5400 rpm)

The machine is due Friday.

Now, I see the Dell Inspirion. I cna load it up with the same features, except the hard drive would be 160 GB (but 7200 RPM) the screen of course is 14 inch compared to 15.4... The video card is an NVDIA 8400M GS not a GT... BUT the Dell comes with Sprint built in EVDO which I would use.However the Dell does not include Ultimate Vista which I would have to pay to upgrade to.

I am using this for travelling and running around.

The Dell configured the way I want, with an extra battery, comes to 460 dollars LESS than the Sony with my corp club discounts. Wight is about the same.

So whould I keep the FZ or send it back for the Dell? Any suggestions would be appreciated here... they both seem very good, however I have a Dell desktop, have used Dell for years and have found them to be reliable for the most part.

Any suggestions why keep the Sony or get the Dell would be great!

Mike

 

No need to cross post the forums.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=134783

 

Oh my gosh... You are the 2nd to say this. How can I go about making a delete? I didn't realize this and I am new here.

I just need a decision anfd these are expensive machines and I know everyone has so much to offer as pros with these things.

 

I would go with the FZ. It has a nicer screen, better design, much better graphics card (look a the cnet review of this notebook compared other notebooks that uses 8400M GS), and lighter (for it's size). You can always buy a nice 7200notebook hard rive and stick it into the FZ like what I did. The Dell notebook is cheaper becuase of the dirrenece in configuration.

Hope this helps.

 

FZ 190 is way better than Dell 1420.
But Dell 1520 would match up to FZ, in fact you can configure it with better specs than the FZ.

 

Yeah, but it is way too thick for me.

 

You are right. Sony has the worst customer service ever. I spent nearly 1 hr on the phone to return my fz-190. I paid for the return shipping too.

 

Actually, I don't think that the Dell 1520 matches up to the FZ if you look at the size and weight differences between the two. Also they both employ different building materials - alloy vs plastic.

Dell 1520: plastic
Weight: Starting at 6.40 lbs (2.90 kg)
Width: 14.12" (35.8cm)
Height: 1.47" (3.7cm) front - 1.65" (4.5cm) back
Depth: 10.59" (26.9cm)

FZ190: alloy
Weight: 5.75 lb
Width: 14"
Height: 0.98" front - 1.4" back
Depth: 10.02"

 

That is why I would go with the 1420 over the 1520 if I went with Dell.. the 1420 is comparable in weight to the FZ...

Not only that, through my discount code, I can not configure the 1520 with a Blu Ray drive (dont know why.. probably Dells website which has been a mess wince they updated with these new machines)...

I can get the 1420 for not only 4000 bucks less but with 2 full batterys and Sony charges 300 dollars for the larger battery.

Anyone else think the Sony is a better choice.. or the dell??

 

Weight and portability forms only part of the story.

With Dell 1520 you can have a screen resolution upto 1680x1050, wheras the FZ only has 1280x800.

With Dell you can get 8600GT video card, whereas with the Sony only 8400GT.

With Dell you can have a 7200rpm 160GB hard drive. The 7200 option is not available for the Sony.

You can even customise the colour of the laptop with Dell 1520.

I wouldn't mind the laptop being slightly heavier for better specs.

 

But since this is portable, and I always use an extended battery, it is just a LOT to lug around a machine thats 7 or 8 pounds...

I can not customize the 1520 the way I want under my discount plan as well...

 

I have made my decision and will be sending back the Sony Vaio and just purchased an Inspirion 1420. The reasons were too clear:

1) People on here talking about whining noises, loud fans, tons of bloatware with the Vaio, to the point of reinstalling Vista
2) Sony branded items instead of the standard Microsoft stuff
3) Extra sony battery is $299 for extended. Too Much.
4) Built in Sprint EVDO on Dell
5) Faster Hard Drive on Dell
6) Same weight but smaller dimensions, easier to travel with.
7) Had Dell for years, never had issues and customer service good for the most part.
8) Dell website easy to work with and download updates etc.
9) Dell seems to recomitting itself to being #1 again
10) Sonys customer service is beyond horrible (Dectivate dmy account permanently on sonystyle for wrong pasword entry, 1st order "lost" for weeks in system.. If its that bad BEFORE I received the product.. how would it be after??

Thanks for everyone for their opinions on here. I am sure the Vaio is just a great computer and classy, but for my needs (I am not some gamer) the Dell Inspirion 1420 looks fantastic.

 

I also returned my vaio because of high pitch noise issue. I am thinking of dell/lenovo/hp as my next lapyop. Do you know what is the color of the keyboard in inspiron 1520?

 

Only Sony gives you color keyoard choices.. most are white keys on black...

Dell now lets you color the case though

Wow.. You read on the Sony board about high pitched sounds and eratic fans.. not from one person but many.. problrms with features that dont work with blu ray and all that...

No such problems as a group with Dell it seems

 

well in my opinion ill stay with the sony FZ because u get for the same weight than the 1420 and better specs, bigger screen, more graphics power, a better stylish notebook

 

sony is base more to thin and light notebooks they offer a bit less power but more mobility and battery durability, an 8600GT use more energy and gives off more heat than a 8400GT thats why they probably use this model, about the Hard Drive, just buy the lowest capacity for the FZ and buy a 160GB 7200rpm and replace it, about the color choice sony has the perfect color and design that any dell inspiron will have, the only exception is the new XPS m1330 that has a nice design and dimension specs

 

by the way i have 3 dells right now 1405 at home, my little brother has an old 8600 (15.4) and at work a 1705... but i just ordered a new sony FZ to replace my 1405 couse man im tired about the big weight and ugly designs of dells (same opinion on santa rosa new ones)

 

Big weight??

The 1420 is the same weight as the FZ... also the 1420 may have a smaller screen size.. but for travelling, Ill take it.

And people that say to "swap out the hard dirve".. I do NOT get a new computer to swap out a hard drive..thats crazy.. I want it good and ready to load

 

the 1420 and 1520 are bot Mg-alloys if I am not mistaken

 

I don't like the white keyboad in inspiron 1420/1520. Is there any way to change it to black.

 

why i 1420 dell of 14.1" inch screen is same weight of a sony FZ 15.4"?? thats my question... thats whay i say that dells need to so something with there notebooks weight, thats why i say dells r heavy...

 

sorry abhi182 is right new dells chassis is housed in magnesium alloy my bad, but why they are so heavy??

 

i returned my dell for a fz190... why?

1. high pitch loud noises in headphone jack with the dell 1520 and 1420 models. unacceptable as i make music and need no to minimal background noise. tested in stores and all dells i mention had it. no sony's had the issue.

2. weight and size. the dell 1420 is 14.1 inch screen, heavier, YET the sony fz is 15.4 inch, Slightly larger than the 1420 BUT still weighs less.


3. screen. dell has been having many issues with the screens being grainy and whites looking grey ect... i love the ECO sony screen, and i heard the hi color is even better... but the ECO is fine enough..well, I'll have to wait till mine arrives, as i didnt see hi color ones in store.

4. cd drive. i read that dell uses crappy dvd burners. not sure...but my friends dell e1505 cd drive did stop working on him, but had to fix via registry...odd...

5. dell customer support is excellent with being nice but providing annoying answers such as "it must be a motherboard problem, we should replace it" or "we should return". too bad my returns had the issue the original had when i returned my dells... even though they promised it wouldnt.. LIED.

6. sony notebooks are generally more stylish.


just my opinion. but i realized quality > price.

 

I had an FZ, sold it and went to a Vostro 1400. but am thinking of going back to the FZ.

for one, the FZ prices seem to have fallen and the phone operator was willing to give me a discount.
2.0ghz, nvidia, 160gb hd, bluetooth, wireless abgn, dvd burner. less than $1300.

there wasn't anything particularly bad about the Vostro.. in fact it was very sturdy (yes it uses magnesium and is a big upgrade from the old inspirons) and the keyboard was great (i prefer it over the FZ a bit). but the screen really bugged me.. its hard to go back to any other screen once you experience the HC screen on the FZ. In addition the travel weight of the Vostro is actually a tad more than the FZ and the FZ had the same depth as the Vostro, but was only a finger size wider but significantly thinner.

 

yes, the fz is only like a finger wide bigger, but the screen is 1.3 inches larger and its lighter than the 1400 -_-

i used to love dell... but just the issues were too significant. i stare at the screen on a laptop, obviously, so it should be a screen you love.

 

Dells are tempting because of the price, but when it comes down to it, they're pigs. Thick, heavy, unattractive, and without an ounce of style. I know style isn't the most important thing in a laptop, but if I'm spending 1500 on a laptop, I want it to have a nice form factor and look like it's worth a damn. The exception is the m1330.

 

FZ190 rocks!
-best 15.4" notebook pc dimensions on the market, 14"(W) x 0.98-1.4"(H) x 10.02"(D).
-best screen cuality on the market (XBRITE-HiColor).
-HDMI port (full HD 1080).
-Stylish design.
-Nice hardware specs.