Sony Y or S or a HP DM3

Hello guys,

I need a new notebook and I don't know which one to pick. At the moment I've a Sony Vaio FZ11S, which has an Intel Core 2 Duo 7100 @ 1.80 GHz and a Nvidia GPU.

The ones I like are the Sony Y serie. The specs are:
* 13,3 inch beeldscherm
* Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 @ 1.3 GHz
* 4 GB werkgeheugen
* 320 GB harde schijf 5400 RPM
* Windows 7 Home Premium
* Intel GMA
* TFT-LCD met LED-verlichting
* Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
* 0.3 megapixel webcam
https://www.sonystyle.nl/SonyStyle/VAIO-notebooks/Y-Serie-13-3/VPCY11S1E/S.NL3

The Sony S serie. The specs are:
- 13.3-inch wide WXGA （1366×768）display
- 2.13 GHz Intel Core i3 processor
- 4GB of fast DDR3 RAM
- 500GB HD
- Intel GMA HD graphics processor
- HDMI
- DVD Super Multidrive
https://www.sonystyle.nl/SonyStyle/VAIO-notebooks/S-Serie-13-3/VPCS11X9E/B.NL3

The HP DM3-1030ED. The specs are:
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/nl/n...3329744-64354-64354-4011360-4049816.html#null

The HP DM3-1130 ED. The specs are:
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/nl/nl/ho/WF06b/321957-321957-3329744-64354-64354-4074357-4115812.html

I'm doubting that the CPU in both the HP's and the Y-serie are slower then the CPU in my current notebook, and I would regret this.
The things I would like to do are: internet, word, excel, powerpoint. Sometimes I would like to do a game, like the Sims. I'm doubting if I could play such games on one of the both HP's or the Y-serie. The problem is that I like the design of the HP and the Y-serie. The design of the S-serie I'm not fully satisfied about, but this one has a lot of nice things that I like (WIDI (if it will be possible in Europe), backlit, CPU, GPU). Also does the HP and Y-serie do not have an optical drive.

Can someone help me, suggest me, which one will be the best choice for me. I've read many threads, but I don't know what to do.

 

From what I've seen the design of the S-series is extremely similar to that of the Y-series.

 

I went today and looked at an S series and I would have to say it's a beautiful design. But the design of the DM3 is far more durable. The S is all plastic, where the DM3 is an aluminum shell, with a magnesium body. Also the DM3 also comes with more discrete graphics options, like the ATi HD4330 or the nVidia G105m. The S comes with the GMA HD from the i5. It just depends on what you value more I guess... more durable and slower or more expensive less durable, but faster (CPU wise).

 

The S has a magnesium build as well and I never thought I'd see the day when someone say an HP is more durable than a Sony.

 

I had the chance to play around with the DM3 and I'm afraid I wasn't all that impressed with it. The design is great, but the touchpad was atrocious and the screen had a strange viewing angle to get a clear image. I don't have any experience with the Sony's.

 

LOL!! Sony's are great notebooks, but I have to really say that the DM3 is REALLY structurally sound. Although the S has a magnesium body, the shell is still plastic. I'm no HP fanboi as you can tell by the sig, but I give HP kudos on the DM3 design.

That's the one downfall. The trackpad is beyond horrible. It almost spoils the whole package (for some people it does).

 

S series is like the smaller version of F series in design.

It has a backlit keyboard.. looks very nice.. i would go for S series.

 

I posted a similiar question, most responded me and said to go for an asus u3 series (not sure which exact model).

 

To the OP as i presume you live in the Netherlands may be if you want a S model with dedicated graphics you can import from Germany?
http://www.notebook.de/sony-vaio-vpc-s11v9eb-mit-intel-core-i5-520m-24-ghz-umtswin-7-p-27137
It is also being debated if the i5 model with dedicated graphics can make use of the integrated card. Or may be there are shops in the Netherlands that also sell the model with dedicated graphics?

 

Thanks guys for your replies! But what about the perfomance? Will the Y-serie and the DM3 be slower then my current notebook which has 1.8 GHz dual core 2 7100 CPU?

I only saw the S on pictures, where it looked to me like a giant square. Not like the front as the Y-serie has. It needs to be launched in the Netherlands, so I need to wait. I also dislike that it only will be available in black, which I don't like.

 

Yes, the su7300 is slower than the T7100. You can confirm it here.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Processors-Benchmarklist.2436.0.html

If you are considering buying another sony laptop I would go with the S. As you have pointed out, with integrated graphics, the S series offers a lot over the Y series with only a modest increase in weight and decrease in battery life. I did not like the DM3 when I saw it btw. First, the screen is really mediocre compared to anything I've seen from Sony. Second, there is a shiny plastic bezel (which is relatively large) around the screen that looks really tacky. Third, the DM3 felt really "heavy" when I was handling it at the store...I didn't get the same feeling when I was handling the S series (I think this might have to do with the way that the weight is balanced.) The only real benefit of the DM3 to me is that in the US it is substantially cheaper than anything sony is currently offering (it was $450 at the microsoft store less than 1 month ago.)

 

Thanks for your reply! The Y is an option because I saw the DM3, but you said that the CPU of both will be slower then my current. I don't know if I will regret this at some point. So it will be maybe better to wait for the launch of the S-serie here in the Netherlands. Also I didn't have seen the Y-serie yet.

I was doubting of the DM3 because, like someone know, the Mediamarkt in the Netherlands does have an action which means buying without tax. So that's when I saw the DM3, and it looks good (nice design), but it was the DM3-1030ED which has an intel GMA as GPU and a slower CPU against the opportunity to have a Nvidia GPU and a faster CPU in the S-serie. The only thing is, that the DM3-1030 ED costs 640 euros (this weekend) and the S-serie with good specs will be around the 1100-1200 euros. Also I will skip the first range of the S-serie, if I will go for this notebook, because I'm hoping that Sony will place the backlit keyboard also in the silver version and it will have WIDI (best buy has exclusivity) in the future.

 

Hey man what mediamarkt is that? Maybe I'll drive to the netherlands (although I can't legaly leave belgium with my temprorary drivers license lol).
Btw, i've seen the dm3 aswell, and the trackpad is a pain to work with...maybe if u put a drop of shampoo on it. Its like glas...which makes it hard to rub your finger over it.

If the S will come in the Benelux with a seperate gpu for +-1000€ i'd take it, but if it will cost like 1200..no way.
I saw this vid on utube about a guy unboxing his Y series, which looked really nice (it was black). Atm, they are only selling the silver coloured Y series in BE/NL.

 

Where did you saw the Y-serie? I only know that Sony-style has started their sales of the Y-serie, but I don't see it anywhere in the shops.

It's the mediamarkt in Maastricht (Zuid-limburg/South-limburg). But they only have a FW, NW, W and P of Sony.

 

Well there is at the belgian sonystyle store, kinda weird the dutch one doesn't have it yet, the netherlands usualy have way more laptops for their consumers than us.
Also, trying looking at www.laptopshop.nl I'm not sure if they have the y, but the belgian site laptopshop.be does have it so you can check it out.

Off topic PS: I don't think South Limburg isn't that far, wasn't Limburg part of the southern netherlands untill they revolted against king william in 1830, after which limburg was given to the northern netherlands as a compromise? Can't remember if it was in the 13 or 24 articles which were made by the European 'superpowers' of that time (France, England, Prussia)

 

There is a 19% discount in all dutch mediamarkt stores.

 

I admit to having the same question comparing the Y/S to the HP DM3 for a friend... and I concluded that its worth waiting to get the Alienware M11x..(early feb for ~800 starting)...
I'm a long standing customer of Sony(TX, TZ, TT) and after they discontinued the T* line in favor of the X/S/Y split I'm a bit sold on CES 2010 early responses on Dell's foray into the 11 inch market. While the M11X isn't as "ultraportable" you get a big bang for the buck... and I've wanted a lighted keyboard for some time... and you get to actually have serious gaming either on the laptop itself or if you plug into a larger panel.
Just wait until ~Feb 3 check out alienware and then make the comparison and you won't be disappointed. Yes I've owned a dell back in the XPS Gen 2 days when they shipped Nvidia cards that would melt eggs in addition to the keyboard, ram, and cpu eventually ... I know Dell service has something left to be desired but if its an Alienware brand than we have hope that the quality is number one maybe can even expect better service... hard to say... anyway I don't leave Sony lightly I just wish they could get a their act together and produce a gaming ultraportable to compete with the likes of the M11x...

 

The M11x is tacky...I can't imagine using that in public. I'm pretty sure that Sony's answer to the M11x (and pretty much every other portable laptop) is the new Z. I don't think anything can compete right now.

 

I would like to have a HP or a Sony. I also looked for other branches, but they didn't succeeded at my specifications. Specific the design(s).