Sony and Weak GPUs

Do you think Sony will ever release competitively priced notebooks with more powerful GPUs?

I really like the Sony notebooks, and would likely be buying one if they offered at least an 8600 GT as an option.

 

Well sony's aren't really known as "gamer" machines, unlike Alienwares, Sagers and the Dell XPS series. Their more of a luxury machine than a gaming one.

 

That's too bad, because they are cutting themselves out of a very lucrative segment of the market. Not only would improved GPU power be good for gammers, but for many business people as well.

 

I'm pretty sure SONY knows what they're doing in regards to the laptop market, and that they're not "missing out" on much.

 

Except for the gamming and mid-high end business market.

 

Yeah, they might be missing out on some, but you gotta realize that they more than likely thought about this idea and figured out it would be more beneficial for them to NOT adhere to that market.

They prolly figured out that the hours and money spent into adhering to those markets would not be worth it in the returns.

Obviously Sony is not stupid and not take advantage of a profitable market. I'm pretty sure that Sony would be in the gaming market if they could make money. Companies don't just stay out of a possible profitable market just for the heck of it. There must be a reason behind their choosing not to adhere to those markets.

 

thanks for posting all that so I didnt have to type it.

your point is 100% correct. businesses with capital like Sony pay guys to sit around and judge ideas and think about ways to innovate and get into different niches/markets. If they arent doing it, it is not profitable too them.

 

With all due respect, I don't really give a rats backside about Sony's business plans, I just want one of their notebooks with a more powerful GPU!

 

No offense, but I really don't think the 'high end' bussiness market requires a 8700GT...

 

The high end business market doesn't want a 8700GT either because A: High end graphics card suck up way to much battery life and B: Those business people who want graphics cards would prefer something from the likes of the Quadro line for graphics work. Besides for most normal people the X3100 or a low end dedicated solution like the Radeon X2300 have more than enough power to make sure Aero and basic applications run efficiently. Professionals/businesses want to carry around only what they need with them in a meeting etc, not what they want when they are at a desk.

For the multimedia/desktop replacement market Sony has the end models of the FZ and AR, although they may not have the top end graphics chips, history has shown the graphics cards in these (the 8400GT in the case of FZ) will probably go out of date at approx the same time as the more powerful cards in their series, the 8700GT for example.

Sony if anything targets those who want to show off but don't like apples, you familiar with the concept of bling?

Sony aims to get the whole laptop experience covered, with a good all round product (Toshiba is also a lot like this). Put it this way, if you were to generalize a Sony laptop and a Dell laptop, what do you think you would prefer to type on, do some web chat and have with you around your 'rich' friends.

 

Some of the new FZ's will come with an 8600GS here in the UK Thats a bit of an improvement from Sony.

 

jsf, uhm, isn't that what I just said in a single sentence?

 

sony makes enough money, that they dont need to cater to gamers

 

Don't sony have something called a PS3 for gaming?????

 

Exactly!!!!!! - I use my PS3 and XBox 360 Elite or my Toshiba X205-9349 for all my gaming needs.

 

Just to help you guys get focused a bit, consider the new HP 8510 and 8710 lines, but with Sony "Style".........

 

Another point, is that people might just not know theres a crappy GPU in their. For 1400, people might just presume that it comes with a decent video card. Notice that most of Sony's laptops are over $1000CAD, more in the 1400 and up range. Per other laptops within that range, they have decent GPU's. Maybe sony's tactic is to have people presume that the GPU is not a crappy one and save some money.

Just a thought.

 

Thats opinion. My opinions is that the HP business lines looks quite nice but personally Sony laptops still cream them when it comes to style.

Giving weak GPU's is just a tactic to save money imo. Sony have probably the best reputation when it comes to electricals and people view their laptops the same i.e. contructing their laptops very well and using 'expensive' components - this effect also comes from there prices with the technical term called skimming (pricing good high and therefore getting high rep)
In a businesss perspective, I would do the same if I were in Sony's shoes. There is no point in wasting money on high end GPU's when there only be a small jump in sales.

 

Sony seems late I think because they value profit charts more than consumer needs. IMHO they are too busy looking a profit margin charts instead of forecasting what the consumers really want, which would keep them ahead. So they can't see the forest for the trees until the trees start disappearing. Then when their profit charts start sinking they call meetings to look into it. They will get around to upgrading GPUs, at a snails pace penny pinching philosophy, touting style, but it will very soon bite them in the butt. Their profit executives need an enima. Sony will come around after awhile, but always behind the others. Apple seemed that way to me for awhile too but I think they are comming around.

 

they make enough they dont need to change a thing, and they dont care about their weak gpu's. sony's arent gaming machines, what dont you get

 

I don't think that DDR3 8400GT in FZ or DDR3 8600GT in AR is significantly underpowered compared to competitors (not to mention FZ is is sleeker compared to most of its competitors and not really expensive). Say, DV6500 or Gateway or Fujitsu's 15.4inch have much weaker cards than 8400GT.

Besides, I'd take much nicer LCD and 30% weaker GPU over Dell's horrendous LCD any day. After all, less than 20% of time I spend on my PC I play games - but I have to look at screen 100% of the time whenever I use PC.

Finally, apparently strong magnetic shielding on FZ and crystal clear sounds on headphone jack suggests Sony is at least using quality components inside - something that cannot be said on that horrendous Dell. I couldn't even use my portable phone near 1520 - my phone caught so much noise from it.

 

I want all dells to die.

 

I would say they are a gaming machine for the average gamer however what we all trying to point out is what a shame it is for Sony not too put a decent GPU in there laptops.
Just imagine if they did - they would be making some 'dream' laptops: the same competitive performance, superb screens, blu ray drives, stylish laptops etc which also have the feature to play new games.

 

I think that would make them very expensive computers. Dell saves money on materials (cheap-plastic-looking-breaking-bending-uneven pieces of crap) and puts a decent gpu inside. And they are not so cheap. (XPS is as expensive as some top-of-the-line sonys)

Sony, on the other hand, spends most of the money on making the best-looking laptops, with the best materials. I have a tz191 and I was thinking of buying a dell xps m1330. Wow, I was going to make a mistake.

My sony is a billion times better looking than that stupid dell. It runs pretty fast too.

 

i'm sure if they put in real nice cards, like 512mb ones, prices would be crazy.

 

I just said that.

 

Personally i wish they would make a 15.5" SZ(FZ doesn't count) with an 8600GT card.

 

they wont ever do that, the sz is their thin and light/ultraportable fully functional-could-be-desktop-replacement, computer, and if they get rid of it they'll have nothing in that category

 

It would cost like 4 grand. easily.

 

would you like a cookie?

 

I never said get rid of the 13.3", but a 15.4" SZ would be lovely.

 

It wouldn't make any sense for them to do that though.

 

actually I do. send me one through my facebook. LOL

 

EXACTLY

VAIO

Video
Audio
Integrated
Operation

Nice for multimedia stuff, and day to day work.. never said they were for intense gaming..

 

True dat my UK brutha!

 

They are already out actually. Just checked the sonystyle website and FZ21S can be bought. I'm gonna probably buy mine from the Sonycenter.
Can't Wait!!!